The Macabre
by JustAFerret
Summary: Unknown to the rest of Remnant, the Huntsmen had once fought a shadow war with an organization known as The Macabre in the past. But as another year in Beacon begins, The Macabre have arisen again for reasons unknown and war threatens to reignite and engulf all of Vale. And four students have been dragged into it. As they try to survive, they'll learn the truth is far from simple.
1. For the Good of the World

Chapter 1: For the Good of the World

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_Humanity must confront the abyss of its soul. Those who look away are doomed to sink within it._

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_I hope she's okay..._

Jay Atlantis took a deep sigh, a small puff of her breath escaping her lips. Hunching slightly forward, she rubbed her upper arms furiously, shivering as a gust of cold wind blew past her. Even the black leather armor that covered her petite body struggled to protect her from the bitter cold. Cars sped past her as she walked along the sidewalks of the city's outskirts.

The early afternoon sun shined brightly over Vale. Normally, Jay would have been content to stay in bed. But today was special. Today marked the first day of her life in Beacon Academy. The airships were docked and beginning their preparations for take-off. But there was one more thing Jay had to do before she could go.

She ran a gentle hand over her shoulder length black hair, making sure it was neatly combed and brushed. She even took the extra precaution of wearing her blue wing hair clip to keep her persistent locks on either side of her porcelain face. Taking a deep breath, Jay breathed into her cupped hands, rubbing them against her cheeks which were flushed from the nipping cold.

Jay soon came to a stop in front of a wrought iron gate. On the other side was an expansive field filled with tombstones. Some were decorated with flowers or pictures of the deceased. Jay grabbed the gate and gave it a gentle pull. She swallowed a deep breath and stepped in.

_I really, really hope she's okay…_

Jay followed the winding cobblestone path, passing one tombstone after another. It was always odd walking along the familiar stretch of stone. The cemetery held a serene calm as if it was paying its own moment of silence to those who had passed. She dug her hands into her pockets, having some difficulty with her left hand due to the solid gold cast that encased it up to her shoulder.

After walking silently for a few minutes, she reached a branching path that led to a tree with a wide trunk, its mass of leaves leaving a particular tombstone in its shade. In front of the tombstone sat a familiar girl. Jay narrowed her striking blue eyes as she approached. She was a head taller than Jay, dressed in a lime green jacket and pants with a pair of black gloves and a turtleneck shirt. Her green hair, which was usually tied up in a bun, was untied and fell to her shoulders.

Jay pursed her lips. She took slow, hesitant steps towards the girl in green. Once there were a few feet between them, she spoke up.

"Sprig? How are you doing?" she asked in a hushed tone. The girl in front of her lifted her head slightly, turning it just enough so that Jay could see her vibrant green eyes. She cracked a bittersweet smile and patted the spot next to her. Jay came to her side without question, sitting down next to her best friend.

Spriggan Arcadia turned her attention back to the tombstone in front of her. Like every other time she visited for the past two years, she read the epitaph written on her mother's tombstone. Simply reading it was enough to put a smile on her face.

_Time means nothing in the face of destiny. No years, no days, no hours are wasted when one lives for their dreams._

Spriggan sighed. For two years, Spriggan took those words to heart. Those words encouraged her to never give up on her dream. And now, after years of training and study, she was finally at the cusp of realizing what she had worked tirelessly for.

"I'll be fine, Jay. I just wanted to say my goodbyes before we left," she said, letting a small, sad smile take hold. She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a low whisper.

"Today is the big day…the day I go to Beacon. I can't tell you how excited I am that I get to attend. When I was accepted, I could hardly believe it. Jay and I spent the whole day getting ready, buying supplies and clothes. And I even got you this," Sprig said. Spriggan's eyes lowered to the bouquet of flowers she held in her hand. She placed them in front of the tombstone, giving them a small pat. Next to her, Jay pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them in respectful silence.

"I'm probably not going to be able to visit like I used to. I hope you'll forgive me for that. But I promise, I'll come back as soon as I can and I'll tell you all about what life is like there," Sprig said. She looked down at her feet, shuffling them slightly. The sound of leaves being brushed by the wind filled the peaceful quiet.

"I…can't help but wonder at times…what if things had been different. If you had gotten better instead of me. I know father misses you terribly and I do too. But I can't stop the thought. It may have been something as simple as luck, but…" Spriggan stopped herself. It wouldn't do her any good to dwell on something like that. Her mother hated it when Spriggan got caught up in worrying about her. She wouldn't allow herself to do it now.

"I'm going to be the first in our family's history that becomes a huntress. I promise you, mother. I promise that I'll do the best I can. I'll make you proud," Spriggan leaned forward and placed her hand over her mother's name. A small smile grew on her lips, "I'll be okay. Jay will be there and I'll have a whole team to support me."

Spriggan shut her eyes and sighed. Jay wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close.

"No matter what, Sprig, we're in this together," she said. Spriggan nodded and tore her eyes away from the tombstone, turning slightly to face Jay.

"How much longer until the airship departs?" she asked. Jay checked the watch on her wrist.

"About an hour. There's no rush. If you want to stay a little longer…" Jay said. Spriggan shook her head. Her arm reached out and wrapped around Jay's shoulder in return.

"That's okay. I've said all I needed to." She said. Jay nodded in understanding. The two rose to their feet, their arms still wrapped around each other. Jay looked down at the tombstone and gave a slight bow.

"Mrs. Arcadia, I'll be borrowing your daughter for a bit. I hope that's okay," Jay said. Spriggan couldn't stop herself from giggling, placing a hand over her mouth.

"I'm sure she's fine with it," Spriggan said. The two exchanged smiles as they both walked out of the cemetery. The airship docks weren't too far away and they took their time admiring the bustling streets of Vale one more time before they left. Spriggan watched cars speed by, losing herself in her thoughts.

"Hey, Sprig…if you ever need an ear…" Jay said. Spriggan waved a hand in front of her face.

"Don't trouble yourself on my account, Jay. We all find ways to survive," Spriggan said. She looked down as she said those words. Her eyes landed on the golden metal cast that encased Jay's left arm. She silently nodded to herself and looked straight ahead, the airship terminal coming into view. As they came closer to its entrance, Spriggan took another deep breath.

The moment Jay opened the door to the airship terminal, a wave of excitement washed over them. Other teenagers their age congregated in the lobby, their incessant chatter drowning out the roars of the airships coming and going. Jay and Spriggan quickly lost themselves in the mass of prospective students. The numerous bodies walking to and fro was almost disorienting. Beacon accepted no less than perfection and it showed. The people waiting along with them, their numbers impossible to count, represented the cream of the crop of future Huntsmen. Technical geniuses, combat specialists, and strategic savants called Beacon their home and their springboard into greatness. The fact that Jay and Spriggan were among those to attend brought a rising feeling of elation to both of them.

To their left was a large window that ran down the length of the terminal, providing a nice view of the docked airships and the mountains beyond. From here they could see the prestigious academy resting on a cliff like a throne.

"So…this is it," Jay said. Both girls came to a stop in front of the window. Jay couldn't tear her eyes away from the school sitting on the horizon. Now more than ever, it was within her grasp. She only had to wait a little bit longer until she could realize her goals. Next to her, Spriggan clasped her hands behind her back, a small smile on her face.

"A moment years in the making. It seems like not so long ago that we first started attending Signal. Now here we are. How the time flies," she said, spreading her arms out wide. Jay placed her hand on the glass, leaning forward to the point where the tip of her nose pressed against it.

"I got a good feeling about this. I really do. Once we step foot in Beacon, I'm going to make the most of it. Can't let all that hard work go to waste, yeah?" she said. Spriggan nodded and crossed her arms, shifting her weight to one leg.

"After fighting tooth and nail just for the chance to attend Beacon, it'd be rather stupid to do so. I'm going to make the most of it, just like we promised," she said. Jay nodded in agreement and pulled her hand away, snickering.

"Oooh, so responsible. I wish I could keep my nose to the grindstone, but that's why you're here, right? To help keep me on the straight and narrow?" she said. Spriggan laughed and shrugged.

"I don't know, Jay. Beacon isn't really one for pulling punches. I may have to leave you in the dust just so that I don't fail with you," she teased. Jay furrowed her brow and waved a finger with disapproval.

"Okay, I take it back. You're the most irresponsible person on the planet," she retorted. Without missing a beat, Spriggan placed her hands over her heart and wore an innocent look.

"Then I must devote my time to my studies so that I'm not doomed to fail. So I still can't help you," she said. Both girls stared at each other until Spriggan broke into a giggle fit, one that broke Jay's serious face and forced her to laugh too.

After their laughter died down, two beeps sounded through the terminal, grabbing everyone's attention.

"_Flight 10, Vale City to Beacon Academy, is now loading passengers. Please have your papers ready for the gate attendant."_

"Well, I guess it's time for our date with destiny. Ready to go?" Spriggan asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Jay said with a nod. The two followed the massive flood of students heading towards the airship bound for Beacon. Jay placed a hand on Spriggan's shoulder, giving it a playful shake.

"Welcome to the first day of the rest of our lives."

...

She was winded. Every breath took a great deal of effort. Sweat dripped behind her white mask, stinging her orange eyes. She raised her twin swords, gripping their curved handles tightly. Two Huntsmen walked slowly towards her, one with a spear, the other with a sword and shield.

Her black cloak swayed as she held her swords in an 'X' formation. Her hood turned from side to side, just daring the Huntsmen to make a move. The large open room they were in gave her plenty of space to evade any attacks. But her opponents likely knew that as well.

"Hecate, they're-"

No sooner had someone behind her spoken than one of the Huntsmen charged, his spear poised to gore her stomach. Hecate reacted on instinct, side-stepping the spear and pulling her swords upward as it sailed right over them.

Her swords pushed the spear upwards, leaving the Huntsmen vulnerable. Hecate brought her swords down for killing blow until the other Huntsmen rammed his shield into her side, pushing her away.

Hecate growled and threw herself at the other Huntsmen with reckless abandon, slashing away at his shield with little effect. The power of each blow forced the Huntsman back a feet, trying to withstand the relentless assault.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hecate saw the other Huntsman charge her again. Hecate dropped her swords and kicked the shield of the Huntsman in front of her, throwing him back even further. Hecate dodged out of the way of the spear's blade and grabbed the handle with both hands. Her foot sweeped low and knocked the spear Huntsman off his feet as she yanked the spear out of his grip. Hecate didn't even hesitate to pull the spear back and impale the Huntsman through his chest.

Hecate turned to face her last opponent only to have him charge her in a rage. Hecate took advantage of his carelessness, dodging every embarrassingly telegraphed attack. The Huntsman chopped his sword downwards, pulling his shield away from his body as he did. Hecate dashed forward and caught his hand mid-swing.

The Huntsmen barely had a moment to react before Hecate gave him a swift headbutt. The blow sent him staggering backwards in a daze. Hecate twisted his wrist up and in towards his chest, leaving his sword arm completely at her mercy.

Hecate sent a hard kick to the back of his knees, forcing him to kneel in front of her. Hecate wasted no time in pressing his own sword against his throat and making a clean swipe across his neck.

A flurry of sparks shot out from the Huntsman's neck as he collapsed in a heap at her feet. His entire body fizzled and buckled until his holo-projection failed and exposed the cold mechanical body of an AK-130 droid. Hecate dusted off her black cloak and turned to her other opponent. The other droid was still on the ground, the spear jutting out from its lifeless husk.

Hecate turned around to face her unexpected guest. A man dressed in similar attire as her was standing in front of the entrance of the training room. His white mask was etched with elaborate black patterns, giving the impression of a spider's web stretched across its smooth surface. His exposed mouth was sunken with a frown. Even if she couldn't see his eyes through the thin slits of their masks, she knew he was trying to avoid eye contact with her.

"Hecate, they're waiting for you in the council chamber," he said, using her formal rank rather than her name. Hecate didn't acknowledge his statement. Instead she retrieved her twin swords on the ground and placed them back into their sheaths. She exited the training room without a word, the cloaked man trailing behind her.

The two came to a stop at a pair of heavy set doors. Hecate pushed both doors open, a circular room waiting on the other side. In the center of the room stood a round, wooden table. Four people were sitting at one end, three men and one woman, all wearing similar cloaks as her. Their faces ranging from young and old, all carried a heavy sense of restlessness.

The lone woman looked up from the scattered papers in front of her and motioned towards the other end of the table. Hecate followed her request and placed her hands on the table, waiting patiently for one of them to begin.

One of the cloaked figures on the far side of the group, a man so thin he seemed to be hanging his clothes on his body rather than wearing them, cleared his throat. On cue, all eyes turned to him.

"We've received the preliminary results from the infirmary, Hecate. I'm sorry, but the tests are not promising. It is very likely Pepper will not come out of her re-education unscathed," he said in a tired, raspy voice, hinting at his old age. Hecate lowered her gaze, a strand of orange hair falling from her hood. A disappointed grimace spread across her face.

"Pepper was pushed too hard. Though I don't really regret this outcome. She brought it on herself." another man said.

"We wouldn't be having this discussion if it weren't for you, Hecate. She was ultimately your responsibility," The last man said. Hecate gritted her teeth, fully prepared to defend herself until the woman on the other end of the table leaned forward and pointed at her.

"She isn't to blame. She fulfilled her duties and followed her instructions to the letter," she said. The woman tented her fingers, lowering her head and nodding to herself, "Don't blame yourself, Hecate. You did nothing wrong. It's the price she paid for betraying us."

Hecate frowned. It was her job to hunt Pepper down after she defected to the Huntsmen. She succeeded and brought her back, but Pepper's betrayal carried heavy consequences. She was 're-educated' as the council put it. A punishment reserved for traitors.

"Now all that remains is to kill the Huntress she was collaborating with. We cannot afford to have her exposing us to Ozpin," one of the cloaked men said. The only woman seated among them tilted her head to the side.

"I assume you've already come up with a plan to deal with the matter?" she asked.

"Appeal to the Huntress' sense of morality. Take some of their own, threaten their lives. She'll come out of hiding. Her kind always do. We may even find out what she's been up to because I can say without a doubt that Ozpin didn't order her to disappear without a trace. Unless of course we have some frightened children to coax her out," The man then turned towards the old, thin man from earlier. A smug grin spread on his face, "And what better targets than the ones we can grab by tomorrow?"

The older man hesitated slightly then bowed his head. He turned to address the others, his voice dripping with contempt, "Beacon. The school is bringing in a fresh batch of students today. They'll stay there for the night and begin their initiation in morning."

A few murmurs spread among them. Hecate raised a brow. She had never visited Beacon, but she knew agents from the Macabre had been there before for recon purposes. Otherwise, nobody dared to go there. Not only did it house arguably some of the best Huntsmen and Huntresses in the world, but their headmaster, Ozpin, was a danger all on his own.

"Then it's decided. Kidnap a few students and hang them over the Huntress' head so that she reveals herself. Risky, but it's all we can do for the moment," The woman said. She rose from her seat and circled around the table with her hands outstretched. Hecate turned to face her and gave her a polite bow.

"Hecate, in the interest of protecting the Macabre and eliminating the Huntress that helped Pepper, I give you the council's blessing to infiltrate Beacon grounds and gather as many hostages as you can. I don't care how you do it, just get it done," she said. Hecate rose from her bow and nodded.

"Yes ma'am. But if I may ask, what will happen to Pepper?...What are we going to do with her?" she asked. The woman turned to the others at the table and sighed.

"Hopefully, in due time, she will recover and she will understand not to cross us again. If not..." The woman let her sentence hang in the air. The oldest member stood up from the table, slamming his fist against it.

"You can't be serious. Killing her is not only unnecessary, it's abhorrent!" he said.

"It's not your call. She betrayed us, ruined everything. Someone like that doesn't deserve a hint of mercy. When it comes to the Huntsmen, we can't afford to have any loose ends," the woman replied. She turned back to Hecate and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll do the best we can for her. I give you my word. But in the meantime, focus on your work. You're young, that much is certain, but you have the greatest potential out of anyone else here. With our master's need for a successor, I can't think of anyone else better suited to the task than you," she said. Hecate nodded as the woman pulled her hand away, a swell of pride rising within her

"I understand. I head out to Beacon immediately," Hecate said with determination filling every word. She gave the others a respectful bow before turning on her heel and exiting the room.

Once the door shut behind her, the cloaked woman turned to the others sitting at the table. One of them leaned forward with curiosity in his tone, "You don't really think she is capable of leading the Macabre, do you? Especially considering her...history."

"Her history has nothing to do with it. Hecate is seasoned when it comes to fighting Huntsmen. Were she to lead the Macabre, we'd be that much closer to destroying the Hunstmen for good," she replied. One of the figures at the table looked towards her, his voice dripping with doubt.

"You're putting an awful lot of faith in her," he said. The woman calmly walked back to her seat and tented her fingers.

"Of course I am. After all, she has more reason to hate the Huntsmen than any of us."


	2. For the Good of the People

**Now for the other half of our illustrious team. As always, kick back, relax, and enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: For the Good of the People

Tephra Nether always hated the noise coming from the Vale police department. If it wasn't police officers running their mouths on the dispatch radio, it was detectives taking a call every two minutes. The constant noise felt like someone was driving an iron spike into her skull. It didn't help that all the noise was making it difficult for her to navigate the confusing layout of the building. Relying solely on her hearing to get around, she didn't appreciate the clattering of keyboards and the ringing of telephones. Sometimes, her blindness really turned out to be an inconvenience.

Her tiger ears twitched as she walked along the space between rows of desks. Each one was headed by a police officer either idly working on their computers or questioning a civilian about a suspect. The smell of coffee permeated every inch of the large room, doing a rather poor job of masking the cigarette odor lying underneath.

Out of habit, Tephra suddenly turned right, stopping right in front of a specific detective's desk. She sat right down in the armchair in front of him. She could hear the detective sighing and putting away what sounded like a folder.

"Tephra. You're here. Again," he said, not even bothering the mask the exasperation in his tone. The greeting hardly fazed her as she leaned back into her chair and smoothed out the wrinkles of her dark red robes.

"Detective. You should know by now I'm not inclined to just give up," Tephra replied. The detective eyed her up and down. As usual, she gave no hint of emotion. Her perfectly neutral expression, framed by long grey hair, made it difficult to pinpoint what she was thinking. Even her eyes were closed, taking away any chance he had of gauging her.

Tephra propped her elbows on the armrests of her chair, tenting her gloved fingers together as she waited for a response. Coming to the police station had become habitual for the past four years. Every time it was for the same reason.

The detective across from her sighed and reached under his desk. He opened a small filing cabinet and flicked his fingers past one folder after another, eventually coming to rest at one near the back. He slid it out and dropped it unceremoniously on his desk.

"You have to understand, Ms. Nether. I haven't been able to make any progress in finding your run away sister. We can't spare the resources or manpower on a case this old. And if she joined the White Fang like you said, she might not even be in Vale anymore," he said. A faint frown grew on Tephra's lips. The detective sighed and flipped open the folder, pulling out a tattered and discolored photo. Two Faunus girls were standing center stage. In the background he could see a vast ocean with Vale City set in the distance. One of them was the girl sitting in front of him, the other was the sister she had been searching relentlessly for. The short grey hair, red eyes, and tiger ears made her stand out, but it didn't bring the police any closer to finding her.

"She's here. I know she is. Keep looking," she said. From her tone of voice, it sounded like she was giving him an order. The detective ran a hand over his professional cut hair. He had to admit, Tephra had an almost unhealthy level of persistence.

"I'm doing all I can. But between the recent string of dust thefts and protests turning violent, my hands are tied. Not to mention all the new cases coming in every day. There's just more pressing priorities," he reasoned. Tephra stood up from her chair and reached behind her. He didn't notice until now that she had a round shield strapped on her back.

She pulled the shield free and set it down on his desk. The surface was a dark grey, its texture reminiscent of charcoal. On the center of the shield was an elaborate drawing of a ball of fire surrounded by a blazing ring. Tephra tapped on the shield with one finger, her eyes never wavering from him even though they were closed.

"She has the other part of this. She stole it from me when she decided to leave the Huntsmen and join those idiots in the White Fang. Even if it's just the other half, it's still extremely dangerous. _This _should be your priority," she said in a firm tone. The detective crossed his arms.

"That doesn't change the facts, Ms. Nether. It's not a matter of reluctance, it's a matter of protocol. Believe me, I want to get her away from the White Fang just as much as you do, but the brass has been breathing down my neck about diverting time to this. The precinct is stretched thin as it is. If I keep coming back to this, it's going to be my head on the chopping block, not yours," he replied. Tephra fell back into her seat, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You're right; it is you taking all the risks. So I'm not going to force you to keep tracking her down. But you and I both know how dangerous the White Fang is. She already has Huntsmen training; she's not going to let it go to waste," she said. She heard the detective sigh in frustration. The White Fang had grown increasingly militant over the years. They abandoned their noble peace talks in favor of the far more efficient incentive of violence. If Tephra's sister really did join the White Fang, her training as a Huntress would make her far more dangerous than the average high-minded punk.

"If she does anything even remotely violent, she's going to land right on the VPD's radar. The White Fang love their theatrics more than anything. If they want to send a message, they'll make sure everyone from here to Atlas will listen. So for now, the best I can do is put out an all-points bulletin to on-duty officers. If any of them catch sight of her, I'll let you know," he said. This time it was Tephra's turn to sigh. She and her sister didn't part on the best of terms. When they both left Mistral to attend Signal Academy, her sister was supposed to take care of her.

Instead, she ran off and left Tephra to fend for herself for the past four years. She could have gone back to Mistral, in fact her parents even begged her to do so. But she couldn't. She couldn't, in good conscience, leave after everything her sister did. She couldn't turn her back and pretend she never saw what her own family had become. So she opted to stay and continue her studies, looking for clues about her sister's whereabouts.

"It's better than nothing. If you do somehow find her, detective, make sure you lock her up nice and tight. I don't want her going anywhere," she said. Tephra rose from her chair and strapped her shield to her back. The detective put away Tephra's case file and cracked a crooked smile in relief. Usually, it would take an hour for her to leave fully satisfied. He thanked the gods that be that this wasn't the case now.

"What time is it?" Tephra asked. The detective looked towards the corner of his computer screen, tugging on the loose-hanging blue tie around his neck.

"Almost three. You have somewhere you need to be?" he asked. Tephra rolled her shoulders. She cracked her knuckles through her thick gloves and gave a single, curt nod.

"The airship to Beacon leaves in an hour. I should go," she said. The detective rose from his chair, straightening the police badge on the breast pocket of his half-tucked shirt.

"Do you need an escort? Vale's been getting pretty dangerous these past couple of months. Somebody might try to take advantage of your…condition," the detective said with an awkward rub of the back of his neck. Tephra tilted her head to the side, the faint beginnings of a smirk growing on her lips.

"I'm blind, detective. Not helpless. I've survived this long, haven't I?" she joked. She placed her left hand over her heart. A metal bracelet was hanging loosely from her wrist, making a rhythmic beeping noise. Although the constant noise coming from the people around them nearly drowned it out, "I shouldn't waste any more time. See you later, detective."

Tephra turned on her heel and walked with a quick stride out of the office space. The detective sank back into his chair and looked back at his monitor. He looked past all the files and police reports at the wallpaper underneath. Two women were standing on either side of him in a family cookout in Vale Central Park, his wife and daughter.

It was funny, even though he himself was as normal as they came, his wife was a Beacon graduate and an accomplished Huntress. His daughter had even followed in her footsteps and was attending the prestigious school herself. No doubt the training was rigorous, most likely even more than his own as a member of Vale's finest, so he couldn't help but praise Tephra for tackling the same challenges despite her lack of sight.

His family was important to him, even if they were on a whole other level of protecting the public. It only made him wonder what happened between Tephra and her sister for her to demand her arrest with such insistency. It could be as simple as her using tough love on her sister and a desire to get her away from terrorists, but his detective's intuition told him otherwise.

Regardless, he had a job to do. It was his duty to protect and serve the public interest. If Tephra wanted her sister back so badly, he had to oblige. He only hoped that the renegade girl still had some semblance of peace. Otherwise, she would likely lose more than just her freedom.

...

It was hard to ignore the depressing sounds coming from the window. Vale prided itself on being a clean, idyllic community. Businesses were born and thrived on Vale's soil. It also had the pleasure of giving land to the greatest Huntsmen school in Remnant's history.

So Ritch Dorado couldn't help but look on in despair at the derelict streets below him.

Even the sleekest cities weren't exempted from having dots of poverty marring its image. The patchy, cracked streets below only had rusted, outdated car models passing over them. People dressed in raggedy clothes walked down sidewalks that were a stone's throw away from crumbling. From his spot on the fifth floor of his apartment building, Ritch could see a few gangbangers hiding in one of the alleys, exchanging plastic baggies and wads of Lien.

He looked away and hopped off his window sill, dragging his sword's sheath across the carpet of his small room. He checked his equipment for what felt like the hundredth time. His sword, Au Helios, was secured to its sheath with a magnetic lock. His glinting gold cuirass, pauldrons, and greaves were a snug fit over his body, if a little bulky for his tastes.

Walking down the small hallway in his apartment, he spared a glance at one of the adjoining rooms. Some of his siblings were all playing together, throwing toys across the room or playing their videogame consoles. He cracked a warm smile and kept walking.

Ritch ran a hand over his short brown hair. He had been restless these past couple of nights, evidenced by the bags under his dark brown eyes. Going to Beacon was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He had spent every waking hour honing and perfecting his craft. Now that it was within his reach, he couldn't help but hesitate at the last second.

He stepped out of his apartment door. The rotten floor creaked underneath his feet, threatening to break just like the rest of the rundown apartment he lived in.

"Do you really have to go?"

Ritch looked back into the apartment. A young boy with the same brown hair as him was looking up at him, his face wrought with worry. Ritch cracked a smile and ruffled his hair.

"Yeah, I do. But I'll keep in touch, alright? I need all four of you to take care of mom for me while I'm gone," he said. He knelt down and put his hands on the boy's shoulders, "You're the man of the house now, Lyon. Remember, I'm doing this so that I can make life easier for all of us."

Lyon nodded. He looked around their small apartment before quickly wrapping his arms around Ritch's neck, "…Don't get yourself killed, okay?"

"Promise. You take care of yourself," Ritch said. Lyon pulled away and sat back down on the old sofa in the living room. An older woman came up to the door and gave him a tight embrace.

"He looks up to you, you know?" she said. Ritch nodded and returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around his mother. She was a hard worker and it showed. The crow's feet around her eyes and the calloused hands wrapped around his neck were just scratching the surface of what his mother had to go through. His smile crumbled into a tight frown.

"I know. He…probably shouldn't…" he said. His mother pulled away and shook her head.

"Don't say that. You made the best of a bad situation. At least you won't be out on the streets anymore. I can sleep easy knowing that," his mother said. Ritch nodded and looked down at the sword on his hip. He absently bit his lip, his fists unconsciously clenching.

"What about him?" Ritch asked, motioning towards Lyon. His mother looked over her shoulder.

"I'll make sure he stays out of trouble. He's not leaving this apartment without me. Not with the way the neighborhood is right now," she said. Ritch nodded. Living in the slums of Vale wasn't peaceful by any means, but the recent crime sprees were making everything worse. Ritch could scarcely walk out in the streets without someone being harassed or mugged.

"Vale's getting worse. All the gangs are getting out of control. I wish the police would do something about it," Ritch said with a frown. His mother cupped his cheeks.

"That's why you wanted to be a Huntsman, isn't it? To make this place safe for everyone without waiting for the police?" she asked. Ritch stared down at the floorboards, shrugging.

"It's going to take me a while. I was lucky enough to even attend Signal. I almost feel like I'm wasting my time," he admitted. His mother shook her head.

"You're not wasting your time. You wanted this and you made it happen despite everything. That alone shows how much this means to you. Don't back down, alright?" she said. Ritch nodded. His mother gave him another quick hug.

"I'm proud of you. You've grown up into a mature man. I know you'll do well in Beacon," she said.

"I'll call as soon as I can. Don't work yourself too hard, okay?" he said. His mother nodded with a smile. Ritch smiled back and hefted his suitcase of luggage over his shoulder. Ritch gave her a final farewell before heading down the cramped hallways of his apartment building. It wasn't the most luxurious building. Paint was peeling from the walls and the floorboards were cracked and rotten, but it was the closest thing he could call a home.

Ritch pushed open the double doors of his apartment building, walking down a small flight of concrete steps. There, waiting for him like some cruel twisted joke, was an expensive limousine. The chauffer standing at attention near the driver's seat was dressed in a sharp yellow colored business suit. Ritch had never met him before, but the cocky smirk the man wore was already tiring his nerves.

With a dramatic sweep of his hand, the man withdrew a Scroll from his coat's pocket and tapped a finger against it, his eyes darting between the small screen and the ire-filled eyes of his passenger.

"Ritch L. Dorado, eh? Well, ain't you a fancy looking man," the chauffer said in a thick accent. Ritch tried to keep his face stoic as his driver walked with an overly-dramatic gait towards the rear door. The man tapped the door and recited what Ritch could only assume was an ego-stroking script

"Right then, in recognition of your valuable contributions to the well-being and business growth of your benefactor, he has ordained to provide you with a luxurious ride in one of his most esteemed vehicles…blah, blah, yadda, yadda, you get the drill. You get outta the business whatcha put into it."

Ritch didn't reply. Instead he raised a brow, letting a scoff escape under his breath. The man opened the rear door and motioned for Ritch to climb inside.

"So go on, Beacon's waitin' for ya. Oh, and the big boss left a little something, something for you on the counter. Best give it a look over," he said. Ritch inwardly sighed and clambered inside. The driver shut the door behind him, leaving him in the glitz and glamour of the limo's interior.

Directly in front of him was a mahogany coffee table that stretched the entire length of the limo cabin. Various liquors were stocked in small cubby holes underneath the tabletop, ranging from the local Vale beer to the more sophisticated Atlesian white wines. Each leather seat was separated by a shelf stocked to the brim with colorful pastries. But despite all the luxurious amenities, seeing such an extravagant display of wealth only made Ritch sick to his stomach.

Sitting on the table was a small white envelope, sealed with a yellow wax. Ritch tore the envelope open to find a small message written on a card, along with several Lien bills held in place by a rubber band.

_Consider this a reward for all your hard work. I'm very proud to have an associate of mine attending Beacon Academy. Rest assured, our mutually beneficial partnership will extend beyond your student life. As long as you continue to cooperate with me, you and I will be come up with a tidy profit. It will be interesting to have a Huntsman as an employee of my business._

Ritch felt a shiver run down his spine. He tossed the card aside and buried his face in his hands. He didn't budge an inch as the limo's engine roared to life and began cruising down the street. For what felt like hours, Ritch just stared into the palms of his own hands.

_Cooperation…slavery is more like it._

...

Jay placed her hands on the airship's windows, watching as the city of Vale grew smaller. The gentle thrum of the airship's engines soothed her nerves. She looked over towards the front of the airship. The space they were in held a large number of students. Some looked through the arched windows with excited expressions, hoping to catch the first glimpse of their new school.

Spriggan stood next to her with her hands clasped behind her back. She nudged Jay on the shoulder with an amused smirk.

"See it yet?" she asked. Jay shook her head.

"No, it's making me nervous. Like I can't believe I'm going to Beacon unless I see it for myself. I mean, it was nothing short of a miracle that I passed the exams with such high grades. My brain still feels like it's going to explode from all the studying we did," she said. Spriggan patted her on the back, offering a reassuring smile.

"It will be fine, Jay. We're actually here. We're actually on our way to Beacon Academy where we'll begin our new life. We can finally make our mark on the world and do everything we set out to do," Spriggan said. Jay paused, letting a small smile take form.

"…Everything…yeah." She said.

"Hello and welcome to Beacon. My name is Glynda Goodwitch."

Jay and Spriggan turned around. A hologram of a professional looking woman with glasses and blonde hair appeared in front of a window. The two joined the growing crowd of people and listened as the woman continued on.

"You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world," she said. A mixture of gasps of awe and cheering suddenly erupted at their side.

"Jay, look," Spriggan pointed at the windows. Off in the distance, sitting proudly on top of a rocky cliff, was Beacon Academy. The view nearly took Jay's breath away. The academy was nothing short of a castle with its high towers and elegant design. The grand architecture and stonework could make even the most privileged feel humble standing before it. Jay pressed her hands against the glass, her eyes never leaving the vista before her.

"At least the view is nice," Jay said.

"I doubt we'll be getting a lake-side view however," Spriggan said. Jay playfully elbowed her shoulder with a grin.

"Not with that attitude," she remarked. Jay looked back out the window with a content smile. She had been working hard up until this moment, but now was when the real work began. Her entire life would be decided in a few short years. She had no doubt it was going to be difficult, but as long as she had Spriggan by her side, she was confident she could succeed.

And then she could finally realize her dream and live her life in peace.


	3. The Opportunity of a Lifetime

**Okay, after punching real-life in the face I've finally gotten around to writing the third chapter of this. Time to get everything rolling. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Jay was lying on her sleeping bag, staring up at the dim ceiling with her hands under her head. Outside, the windows held a stunning display of stars and the bright, shattered moon, contrasting sharply to the dimly lit room they were in. A numerous amount of students surrounded them with only a few getting ready to go to sleep.

Their welcoming ceremony had ended a few hours ago. The school's headmaster, Ozpin, had addressed the students in a brief welcoming speech before they were escorted to the school's massive ballroom to turn in for the night.

Jay furrowed her brow at the memory of the introductory speech. Ozpin's introduction was, for lack of a better word, blunt. Many of the students were a little surprised by his callous and cold words, expecting something more motivational and uplifting rather than the hard truth he presented. Some of the other students even look outright worried.

Jay tried to think nothing of it. It was possible he was just trying to test their resolve, to see if some they were really devoted to the life they had chosen. After she changed into a simple black tank top and blue cotton pants, she joined Spriggan in the ballroom to try and get some sleep. If initiation was anything like what was being whispered among the new students, she had to be fully rested and prepared for anything.

Spriggan, dressed in a modest set of green flannel pajamas, tucked herself into her sleeping bag, sliding an arm underneath her pillow, "Well it's no lake-side view."

"But it'll do for tonight," Jay said. Spriggan nodded. Her eyes fell on the golden sleeve on Jay's left arm and she frowned.

"Wouldn't you be more comfortable without that?" she asked. Jay looked down at her cast and shook her head.

"Eh, don't worry about it. I've gotten used to it. It's like there's nothing there at all," Jay said. Spriggan blinked and sat up.

"If we're going to be put in a team with other people, they should probably know about it as soon as possible. I don't want you scaring them to death," Spriggan said. Jay frowned and looked down at the armor covering her left arm. She reached up to her shoulder and twisted a small lever at the armor's brim. A small hissing noise escaped the sleeve before it easily slipped off, revealing a black mechanical prosthetic underneath.

"Yeah, I guess the whole robot arm thing would freak them out a little. Good thing I didn't weaponize it or anything or it'll give them something to be really scared about," Jay joked with a laugh. She looked around the room in case any prying eyes were watching. It wasn't often she showed her prosthetic in public. People had a tendency to stare longer than they needed to.

Jay bent her mechanical fingers, listening to the subtle whirring noises the inner gears made. Vale's medical technology was second to none. In the eight years Jay had her prosthetic, she never once felt like it was a burden. It was a part of her now. It also served as a reminder to her. To remember why she had taken up the challenge of being a Huntress. To make sure what happened to her never happened to anyone else.

"When initiation starts, let's keep an eye out for each other, okay?" she said as she slid the armor over her prosthetic again. Spriggan smiled and held out a closed fist. Jay returned her wide grin and bumped Spriggan's fist with her own.

"You can be sure of it. Having to carry your weight would be pretty inconvenient though," Spriggan said. Jay pulled her hand away with a slightly worried look on her face.

"Well you don't have to say it like that," she said, crossing her arms and giving Spriggan an exaggerated pout.

"I'm sorry, Jay. I know you'll do just fine. I'll be sure to keep an eye on you once initiation rolls around," Spriggan said. Jay gave a wide smile and clasped a hand on Spriggan's shoulder.

"Okay, I'll hold you to that."

...

Tephra sat cross legged in front of a candlestick. Her shield sat on her lap, face up. Most of the other students were busy chatting among themselves, leaving her all by her lonesome in the corner of the ballroom.

She raised her hand and spread her fingers, focusing intently on her shield. Streams of red dust floated from underneath it, dancing between her fingers. Tephra pointed to the candlestick in front of her. Like grains of sand in the wind, the specks of dust slowly drifted towards the wick of the candlestick, covering it entirely.

Tephra snapped her fingers. At her command, the dust ignited, lighting the candle with a warm glow. She sighed as she turned her shield over. Small vents were spread out in even spaces across the inside. She could feel the Dust resonating inside them.

_I can only do so much with Cain Circle. Damn it Ash, way to handicap your little sister_, she thought to herself. She looked up from her shield and concentrated on the beeping coming from her bracelet. The sound waves it emitted bounced across the room, outlining every other person in the ballroom with her. A few were asleep, but most were wide awake and talking to one another.

Being blind since birth, her parents were worried that Tephra wouldn't be able to take care of herself. The bracelet she used as a form of echolocation helped, but her parents still held reservations. It was bad enough being a Faunus in regular society, but being blind would have made things even worse for her. That was until she discovered her semblance of being able to manipulate Dust at will.

Of course that in itself wasn't a savior. If anything, it was extremely dangerous. More than once she had hurt herself from trying to practice her newfound skill. Powder Dust, while significantly powerful, was volatile and unsafe under the best circumstances. It was the reason why she had to wear insulated gloves. Once the dust was ignited, she couldn't control it.

_Dust is Dust. Fire is fire. Once Dust becomes fire, it stops being dust. Get it? You have to project that dust away if you want to keep from hurting yourself when you set it off._

That was what her sister taught her. Ash had become something of an expert in Dust properties. Although in truth, it was more like she experimented with Signal's supply when they weren't looking. Normally it cost her a stern lecture or landed her in detention. Ash was always a bit of a troublemaker. But Tephra never expected her to join the White Fang.

Tephra set her shield aside and fell back onto her sleeping bag, drumming her fingers against her stomach. She took a deep breath, her muscles relaxing against the soft padding of her sleeping bag.

It was almost laughable. Her sister had big dreams of attending Beacon. Ever since they left Mistral to attend Signal, Ash had worked tirelessly towards that dream. She never gave up on it, which only made Tephra pity her more when she so easily tossed that dream aside to join the White Fang.

She couldn't help but wonder what was running through her sister's mind. Her delusion that violence can solve everything was only good for getting her killed. Although that would be a mercy in comparison to what Tephra would do to her once she found her. The people she hurt needed justice and if the police couldn't give it, Tephra would.

Tephra turned on her side. Once she finished what they both set out to do, she was going to dedicate herself to finding her senseless sister.

"Ash…you're the biggest idiot I've ever known…but I'm not giving up on you." She whispered to herself.

...

Ritch stared at the glimmering sword on his lap. His own reflection stared back at him with bags under his eyes. He hadn't been able to get much sleep. The entire ballroom was dark and the last person awake went to sleep hours ago, but he couldn't bring himself to do the same. His finger glided along the seam that ran down the middle of Au Helios.

His head was still swimming with worries. This was his once in a lifetime opportunity. Instead of it being his ticket to freedom, it was being used to leash him like a dog.

Ritch sheathed his sword and set it aside. He did the same with his obligations and instead focused on the initiation. Beacon was a renowned academy with a reputation for advanced learning. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that the initiation wasn't going to pull any punches.

He couldn't help but think back to Lyon. He always wanted to imitate everything his older brother did. He even kept a toy sword with him to better emulate his favorite role model. That was why Ritch wanted to do everything he could to set a good example. And it was why he hated the means of getting to where he was with every fiber of his being. He worked hard for this chance. He worked relentlessly at Signal and trained every day so that he was up to Beacon's standards. For all intents and purposes, he had as much right to be in this school as anyone.

_So why do I feel like coming here was a mistake?_ He thought to himself. He was there for his family, everything he had been working for was for his family. But at the end of the day, once he graduated and became a certified Huntsman, his circumstances wouldn't have changed any. And that was what frustrated him. He was in Beacon on someone else's dime. When he left Beacon, all his talents would be used for the wrong reasons. Every day that passed the chain around his neck would get a little bit tighter.

Ritch fell onto his side and shut his tired eyes. No matter what the future would bring, it was going to happen no matter what. All he could do was take it as it comes and hope for the smallest chance to leave his self-imposed hell.

...

Jay stared out over the endless expanse of tress. The Emerald Forest was vast and much of it was inhabited by Grimm, making it a perfect spot for Beacon's initiation. She looked down at the stone pad beneath her feet, her heart swelling with anticipation.

"For years, you have trained to become warriors. And today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

Jay looked up from the stone pad to see Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch standing in front of the row of students. Next to her, Spriggan was bouncing on her toes with a wide smile.

"Now I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates today," Goodwitch said.

Spriggan looked to Jay and gave her a short nod. Jay returned the gesture and focused ahead. Ever since Signal, Jay and Spriggan had worked together whenever possible. Their teamwork was exemplary and they always knew what the other was thinking in the heat of combat. When it came down to it, Jay could never ask for a better partner.

As the professors continued briefing the students, Jay's fingers traced a silver staff hanging from her belt. In its folded form, Hydra Spike was no bigger than her forearm. Next to her, Spriggan hefted her massive double edged battle axe, Chrysolite. The two glanced at each other. Jay gave a brief thumbs up before she heard the stone pad wind up and catapult her into the air.

Jay soared through the air, her hair whipping against the wind. Her heart was beating in a frenzy as the canopy of tress came closer and closer. She snatched her weapon from her belt and unfolded it to its full form. A long, slightly curved blade extended from one end of the staff. Jay pointed it towards the sea of trees. Her finger fell on a small switch. With a flick of her thumb, the blade shot out from the staff, held together by a steel chain.

The blade coursed through the air, impaling itself into a tree branch. Jay swung down through the forest like a pendulum. She flipped the switch again and the blade reeled itself back in, pulling free from the branch and dropping Jay harmlessly on the ground.

Jay looked up at the sky. She could hear the sharp sound of wood breaking and leaves fluttering from afar. The sound grew louder until she heard a tree being sliced in half right behind her.

Spriggan skidded to a stop a few feet away, her feet burying themselves into the soft ground. Her axe was still poised from chopping down numerous trees to slow her fall from the sky.

Jay turned to face her, smiles growing on both of their faces as they made eye contact. Jay walked up to Spriggan with outstretched arms, "We made eye contact."

"Good to meet you, partner," Spriggan said. She scanned the surrounding area, putting her axe on her shoulder. It wouldn't be long before the Grimm caught wind of so many students landing in their territory. They had to use that time wisely.

"Move as fast as we can and don't stop for anything. We shouldn't fight unless absolutely necessary," Jay said as she swiveled her head from left to right, looking for the tell-tale black fur and white bone of a Grimm.

"Conserve our strength and complete our objective. Wonderful thinking, Jay," Spriggan praised with a cheeky grin. The two continued into the forest, slicing through the thick foliage and watching their steps on the uneven terrain. The early morning sun beat down on them as the grass and leaves were crushed underneath their feet.

Jay checked every side as Spriggan kept her eyes to the ground, watching for any tracks left behind by the Grimm. Jay halted and perked up. A low growl was carried through the wind. Spriggan heard it immediately, dropping into a low stance with her axe above her head.

"Well that certainly didn't take long," Spriggan said. Jay raised her staff up to her chest, pointing the blade towards the noise.

"Think you can tell what it is?" Jay asked. Spriggan furrowed her brow. The growl echoed in the forest, growing increasingly hostile.

"Sounds like an Ursa. Nothing too dangerous. But he might have friends," she said. Just as she finished her sentence, a hulking mass of fur and bone leapt from the bushes, its heavy paw swiping at Jay. She rolled out of the way and onto her feet as the Ursa turned to face her, red eyes glowing and teeth gnashing. Spriggan stepped next to Jay, both girls staring down the Ursa as it prowled towards them.

The beast stood on its hind legs, letting out a mighty roar. It raised its paw again and brought it down. Jay held her staff over her head and stopped the attack dead in its tracks. She grunted under the heavy force and pushed her staff up higher, pushing the paw away. The Ursa growled and pulled its paw back while swinging the other and barely missing Jay as she stepped back.

"Jay, duck!" Spriggan shouted. Jay dropped down immediately. Above her, the air rippled as Spriggan's axe sailed over her head and cleaved into the Ursa's stomach. Jay jumped back and aimed her blade, pulling the trigger of her staff and shooting the blade into the Ursa's neck. She grabbed the chain and nodded to Spriggan. Both girls pulled their weapons free, forcing the Ursa back down on all four legs.

Jay's blade locked back into her staff as Spriggan pulled her axe back for a fatal blow. Both girls swung their weapons forward, chopping their weapons into the Ursa's skull with sickening cracks. The beast's body fell limp and collapsed to the ground.

Jay sighed and pulled her staff free. Thin trails of smoke left the Ursa's corpse until it completely disintegrated.

"Nice play, Sprig," she said, turning to her partner. Spriggan perked up and held her axe close.

"We can't congratulate each other just yet…there's more," she said. On cue, several more growls filled the air. A pack of five Ursa emerged from the forest, surrounding the two girls. Jay and Spriggan stood back to back, raising their weapons.

"Sometimes, I hate it when you're right," Jay joked. Spriggan cracked a smile. Both girls faced their targets, their bodies coiling like a spring. Jay released a low breath and nodded. Two Ursa were at her front while the other three were behind her, being watched by Spriggan.

One Ursa charged without warning. Jay bent her knees and vaulted over it. Spriggan spun around and swung her axe at the incoming Grimm, slicing its neck with a well-aimed attack. The second Ursa charged ahead with its jaws wide open. Jay landed on its back, grabbing a tuft of its hair to keep herself steady.

Spriggan turned to face the other three. One Ursa charged her head on as another moved to her left. Spriggan sprinted forward as the Ursa swiped its paw. Chrysolite sailed upwards, severing the Ursa's arm and sending it tumbling to the ground with a pained howl. Spriggan brought her axe back down and crushed the Ursa's skull.

She looked to her side and yanked her axe to the left, the shaft of her weapon smashing itself into the Ursa's head. Spriggan chopped her axe downwards, swiftly killing it with a chop to the back of its neck.

Down to two, she quickly moved to dispatch her last Ursa, swinging her axe in a horizontal arc. The Ursa reacted fast, clenching its teeth around the handle of her axe and pulling it out of her hands. The Ursa growled, lunging at Spriggan with its teeth bore to kill.

A loud bang echoed through the forest. A blade connected to a silver chain suddenly tore through the Ursa's hide, lodging itself in its skin. Spriggan followed the chain's length to see Jay still holding onto her Ursa, using her staff to choke the life out of it.

Jay reeled the chain back in, yanking the impaled Ursa to her as she jumped into the air. The two Ursa collided into each other, sending them both sprawling to the ground. A second later, Jay came back down, her blade piercing an Ursa's neck. The last Ursa jumped up and tried to tear her throat until a green battle axe was thrown into its skull, killing it instantly.

Spriggan walked over to the Ursa's corpse, planting a foot against its head to pry her axe free. Jay rose to her feet, folding her staff to its smaller form with a sigh.

"Game. Set. Match," she said with a smile. Spriggan pulled her axe free and turned to face her with a laugh.

"I believe I had the most kills," she said. Jay shrugged as she watched the tree line for anymore Grimm.

"Initiation isn't over yet, Sprig. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve," she said.

"Let's keep heading north. With luck, we should reach the temple before long," Spriggan said, walking back into the dense forest. Jay hurried after her. Off in the distance, a lone figure in a black cloak followed them, twin swords in hand.

...

Ritch held his hand over his eyes, shielding them from the sun as he looked up into the sky. Aside from the rustling of the leaves, the forest was silent. He sighed and set his eyes downward. Ever since he landed in the forest, his only company had been the Grimm trying to kill him.

"Damn it, I need to hurry and find someone. I'll look bad if I'm the only one without a partner," he muttered to himself as he continued on further into the forest. The sound of a twig snapping grabbed his attention. He turned around and raised his sword at the source only to see a harmless bird pecking at the ground.

Ritch lowered his sword with a groan and turned around, coming face to face with the blood red eyes of a Beowolf. Ritch jumped back in shock, raising his sword in an attempt to beat back the Beowolf. But strangely, it refused to move.

Ritch raised a brow, waiting for the Beowolf to make a move. The only move it made was lurching forward and falling to the ground, exposing the icicle sticking out of the back of its head. Behind the dead Beowolf stood a Faunus girl with long grey hair, tiger ears, and dressed in dark red robes. A circular shield hung on her back. She faced him without opening her eyes and gave him a brief nod.

"Uh…hi?" Ritch said. The girl said nothing and kept on walking. Ritch sheathed his sword and ran after her. She was the first person he had seen since he stepped foot inside the forest. He wasn't going to let the opportunity slip through his fingers.

"H-Hey, you don't have a partner, do you?" he asked. The girl tilted her head in his direction, but didn't offer a response.

"If you don't…I mean, Ozpin did say the first person we met would be our partner," Ritch said. The girl stopped dead in her tracks and pivoted her whole body to face him.

"He said the first person we made eye contact with," Tephra said. Ritch rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, yeah, but…" Ritch trailed off, unsure of how to bring up the fact that she hadn't opened her eyes at all. Tephra snickered and lightly punched Ritch in the shoulder. He took it as a sign that at least she didn't hate the idea.

"Do you want to partner with me that bad?" Tephra asked. Ritch hesitated but ultimately nodded before realizing the futility of his actions. Surprisingly, the girl understood him as she held out a gloved hand.

"Then don't disappoint me," Tephra said. Ritch reached for her hand but pulled away as a bolt of electricity shot from her hand and shocked him. Ritch vigorously flapped his hand with a hiss. Tephra laughed as she raised her hand up. The inside of her palm was coated with yellow dust.

"I reserve the right of kicking your ass to the curb if you do. The name's Tephra Nether by the way," she said. She lowered her hand and unlatched her shield from her back. She raised her left wrist, listening intently to the sound waves it emitted. She took in the shape of the things bouncing back at her, even noting the bulky armor of her new companion. With a satisfied nod, she lowered her wrist.

"It's clear. How much farther until we reach the temple?" she asked. Ritch took a few steps ahead of her.

"We've been walking a good distance already. Hopefully we'll get there before anyone else. Coming in first might make us look good right from the start," he said. Tephra bumped her shoulder against his as she walked past.

"Whatever you say, Golden Boy," she said. Ritch raised a brow at the nickname.

"It's Ritch Dorado," he said as he followed her. Tephra merely shrugged.

"Same thing," she replied. Ritch pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

_What did I get myself into?_

...

"Do you think they can see us?" Jay asked. Behind her, Spriggan was keeping a look out for any wandering Grimm.

"It's a camera, Jay. Of course they can see us," Spriggan replied. She looked over her shoulder to see Jay crouched over a hole in a tree. Inside was a small black camera pointing straight at them. No doubt it was how the Beacon professors were keeping an eye on them. Jay waved a hand in front of the camera. She leaned in within inches of its lens as if she would see the person watching them on the other side.

"Well, do you think they can hear us? Maybe they can give us some directions because I swear we've been past this area three times now," she grimaced. After countless fights with the Grimm, Jay had all but lost her sense of direction. The canopy of leaves had gotten so thick that the forest floor had gone dark with barely a shred of light piercing through.

"Perhaps picking a direction at random wasn't the best decision. I feel as if we're farther away from our destination than when we started," Spriggan said. Jay groaned, pressing her knuckles against her forehead.

"No…don't say that! You're the last person I want to hear that from," Jay said. She closed her eyes and twiddled her thumbs, thinking furiously for an idea. Fighting was her forte. Killing soulless monsters was her bread and butter. But trying to navigate a dense forest with nothing but her gut feeling was downright unreasonable.

"Do you think we can get a vantage point from the trees? Maybe we'll be able to see the temple from there," Spriggan suggested. Jay shrugged, tapping the camera with her finger. If it got them out of the darkness, she was willing to try anything.

"Give it a shot," Jay said. A thin, black object suddenly shot over her shoulder and struck the camera, breaking it in two. Jay fell back with a yelp, staring at the destroyed camera with her jaw hanging open

"I didn't mean it literally, Sprig!" she exclaimed. Spriggan turned around with a confused expression on her face.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. She immediately noticed the destroyed camera and the sleek object pinning its remains against the tree trunk. Jay pulled it out and held it out for her to see.

"It's a dart. It just pulverized that camera. I didn't even see it coming," she said as she stood up. Spriggan took it from her hands and examined it. A viscous yellow liquid coated the dart's tip. She took a quick sniff and recoiled in horror. The heavy metallic smell assaulted her senses, forcing her to hold the dart at arm's length.

"Ugh, it's definitely not a natural substance. It's most likely a mixture of different chemicals. Possibly a sedative," she said. Jay searched the area, hoping to spot the shooter only to find nothing.

"Who the heck is shooting tranquilizers at a camera? Who does that?" she asked. Spriggan narrowed her eyes as she slowly reached for her axe strapped to her back.

"I don't think that dart was meant for the camera, Jay," she said. Jay caught on to her suspicion and raised her staff.

"You don't think this is another test of theirs, do you?" she asked. Spriggan shrugged. Ozpin had neglected to mention the possibility of human enemies during their initiation. As far as he let on, only Grimm were supposed to be here.

"I can't say for sure. I was expecting a fight against Grimm, not other Huntsmen. Although it would make for an interesting diagnosis of our skills," Spriggan said. Jay shuddered at the thought.

"You're not instilling a lot of confidence in me, Sprig," she remarked.

Spriggan opened her mouth to speak. Her words died in her throat as she flinched. Her whole body twitched as her axe fell from her hands. Jay turned to face her. Her perplexed expression turned to one of shock as she watched Spriggan's cloudy eyes shut and her body collapse. Jay dove forward, catching Spriggan just before she hit the ground. She laid her gently down on her back in the grass, shaking her to try to wake her up.

"Sprig! Hey, Sprig! Snap out of it!" Jay shouted. She gave Spriggan's cheek a few gentle slaps, trying everything she could to coax her friend out of her sleep. Jay's hand fell back on her shoulder, grazing something protruding from her jacket. Jay gently turned her over to see a black dart sticking out from her shoulder blade. Jay pulled it out and tossed it aside.

"Sprig, can you hear me? Come on, don't shut me out now."

The bushes around them fluttered. Jay's eyes shot up and followed the trace of the noise. In the dark, the trees and grass blended too well together. She could hardly make out a shape that resembled Grimm or human.

Jay lowered Spriggan to the ground. She pulled her staff free and rose to her feet. There wasn't an ounce of wind that passed through the forest. Any sound made had to have come from something.

A soft click echoed in the forest. Jay whirled around to see a single dart sailing towards her chest. Pure instinct took over. She raised the golden sleeve encasing her left arm. The dart bounced harmlessly off the tough metal, toppling to the ground without a sound.

Jay wasn't spared a moment's breath. Another dart sailed towards her neck. Jay ducked and heard it hit the tree behind her. She rose in time to see a figure in black charge her with twin swords poised to stab her.

Jay twisted her staff to a vertical position, deflecting both blades to the side and twirling around her attacker. The blunt end of her staff struck the figure in the back, sending them into a stumble.

"What the hell? You guys didn't say anything about fighting other Huntsmen," Jay protested. The figure turned and Jay froze. The white and black mask she wore covered everything besides her mouth, which was twisted in a vengeful scowl. The black patterns on her mask looked like ink splotches where her eyes would be with thin lines flowing downward like tears.

"You're not a Huntress…are you?" Jay raised her weapon. Hecate took her combat stance, her black swords nearly unnoticeable in the dark, as if they swallowed any light that broke through the trees.

Hecate said nothing. She rushed Jay again, her swords coming down in a hammer swing. Jay did her best to parry her attacks, her staff barely blocking each swing. Hecate swung both swords in a horizontal arc and Jay moved to block it.

Both swords came to a stop, grinding against the silver body of Jay's staff. Hecate growled and slid her blades down along the shaft, cutting Jay's unarmored right hand.

Jay yelped and retreated. Her hand throbbed painfully, her aura struggling to cope with the damage. Hecate kicked Jay square in the stomach and sent her to the floor. Jay hit the ground hard, her staff falling from her hands.

Hecate stood over her and held her sword in a reverse grip as she raised it high into the air. Jay rolled out of the way and up to her feet just as the sword pierced the soft dirt. Jay swung her leg out and kicked the sword out of Hecate's grip.

Jay dove towards it and retrieved the sword, raising it just as Hecate prepared another slashing attack. Both swords locked with one another, producing sparks as metal scratched against metal. Hecate pulled her free hand back and threw a punch that Jay grabbed by the wrist.

"I don't know who you are but whatever you're trying to do, it's not going to happen!" Jay said. Hecate opened her clenched fist, revealing a small mechanism in her sleeve.

And a black dart pointing right at Jay.

Jay's eyes widened. A single click and a stab of pain left her entire body feeling like concrete. Her grip on the sword loosened and fell to the ground. She stumbled back, clutching her neck and pulling out the dart. Her vision distorted and faded. Her legs gave out underneath her and forced her to a knee.

The cloaked woman advanced on her, sword pointing at her neck. Jay managed to look to her side to see the other blade lying on the ground. With the last vestiges of strength she had left, Jay fell towards it. She clutched the sword tightly in her hand and threw it at the woman with all her might. The sword struck the woman in her wrist, forcing her to drop her sword with a pained grunt.

Jay fell even lower to the ground, only managing to keep herself propped up by her weakening arms. She took one last look at her injured attacker and glared at her as their eyes met.

"You...you're going to…regret this…"

Her thoughts dulled. Her eyelids shut of their own accord. Jay managed a single breath before her consciousness faded. She didn't even feel the ground hit her when she collapsed.

...

"I…I think we're lost," Ritch said. Tephra furrowed her brow and punched him in the arm. After following his lead for what felt like hours, she wasn't pleased to hear that he had led them down the wrong way.

"Remember what I said about disappointing me?" she said. Ritch shot her a glare. Getting lost was enough of a punishment. He didn't need Tephra twisting the knife.

"It's not my fault. We're in the middle of a forest. It's not like there are signs pointing towards the temple," Ritch defended. As they continued walking, Ritch grimaced at the steadily growing darkness. Even though the sun still shined brightly in the sky, hardly a shred made it to the ground thanks to the thick leaves above them.

"With the way you've been steering us, I'd doubt the signs would help much anyways," Tephra quipped. An uncomfortable pause descended on the two. They were content to keep to themselves as every step they ventured took them further into the dark.

"Maybe it's better if we turn around," Ritch suggested. The sound of metal clashing brought their attention forward. They were only supposed to be fighting Grimm. Why did it sound like two people were fighting?

Ritch shoved his questions aside. He broke into a run towards the noise as he pulled out his sword. Tephra sighed and followed after him.

"I don't know who you are but whatever you're trying to do, it's not going to happen!"

Ritch followed the voice, his run breaking into a full sprint. Tephra caught up to him, her tiger ears facing ahead. She grimaced once the sound of metal suddenly stopped. The two came to a stop in a forest clearing. They immediately noticed two discarded weapons, a girl in green lying on the ground, and a cloaked figure hovering over another girl with a blue scarf and a golden cast.

"What the hell is going on here?" Tephra shouted, grabbing the cloaked figure's attention. The figure looked down at her wrist and scowled. She ran off in the other direction before disappearing in the foliage. Ritch hurried to the green girl's side, placing a finger on her neck.

"She's alive. That's a relief," he said. Tephra kneeled over the other one, checking to make sure she was alive as well.

"But they aren't conscious. Whoever that person was, they wanted them alive. What for?" she asked. Ritch snapped his fingers next to the green girl's ear, but she didn't respond. Something didn't feel right. Seeing two students lying out cold with a cloaked figure hovering over them wasn't a very encouraging thing to witness.

"Whatever they want, they're not getting it. We need to get them as far away from here as possible," Ritch said. He grabbed the green axe on the ground and secured it to his back. He slid a hand underneath the girl's back and legs and picked her up. Tephra shot him a look of annoyance.

"I can't believe I'm doing this. These two owe us," she muttered before grabbing the silver staff lying on the ground and hoisting up the other girl.

"Hopefully they'll wake up soon. Then you can pester them as much as you want. How's that sound?" Ritch said.

"Like I'm not getting enough compensation. But whatever, I'll deal," Tephra said. Together, they hurried out of the clearing as fast as possible.

In the shadows, Hecate glared at the two retreating. She was out of darts and the last thing she wanted was to pick a fight with her injured wrist. She had to bide her time. Besides, if she was careful, she stood to gain a lot more than just two of them. She nodded to herself and retreated further into the woods, a plan already forming in her head.


	4. Pawns to Play

**Hello everyone! After wrangling tests and projects and the like, I've finally managed to churn this out. So go on and enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 4: Pawns to Play

_Wh-what…? Am…Am I dead? _

Jay's mind fizzled back into consciousness. Her body felt like it was floating aimlessly. Just trying to move her arms took a great deal of effort. She struggled to open her eyes with only a sliver of light returning to her vision.

She tried to speak, but her mouth was dry and her throat was tightened to the breaking point. She managed a weak groan before succumbing to fatigue and drifting away again.

_That girl…that mask…what the hell is going on?_

"…Jay? Wake up, Jay."

The voice was familiar. All too familiar. It was the voice she heard almost every day. Her eyes tried to open again, catching a familiar head of green hair.

Slowly, everything started to come back to her. The gentle brush of the wind, the sound of branches clattering overhead, the comfortable constriction of her leather armor. Jay clawed her way back to consciousness, her head spinning and limbs groaning.

"That girl…played me for a sucker…" Jay muttered. She fully opened her eyes to see Spriggan carrying her in her arms. She looked down at her in relief, a gentle smile on her face.

"Thank goodness you're alright. I was starting to get worried," she said. Jay looked around and saw two other students walking in front of them with their weapons raised. One of them, a tall boy in golden armor, looked over his shoulder at her.

"You're finally awake," he said. Jay shook her head clear and squirmed in Spriggan's arms. Spriggan came to a stop and lowered Jay to her feet with a look of concern on her face.

"Can you walk? It took a while for my legs to work again when I came to," Spriggan said. Jay put some weight on her foot, testing herself before setting her other foot down. Her joints felt like they hadn't moved in ages, sending dull waves of discomfort across her body as she put pressure on them. Jay rolled her shoulders and sighed, relishing the feeling of regaining command of her body.

"What the heck happened? My memory's all fuzzy and my neck is sore," she said as she rubbed the place in question. Her finger grazed the small incision where the dart landed. The wound healed but Jay still felt lightheaded.

Spriggan put a hand over her shoulder, touching the sensitive spot there. She had awoken not long before Jay but she still felt like she could collapse at any moment. Whatever chemical was in the dart, it was very potent if it could knock her out in seconds.

"I'm not entirely sure either. One moment I was watching the woods…the next, Ritch was carrying me," Spriggan said. Jay threw her a curious look and shrugged.

"Uh…who's Ritch?" she asked. At that, the boy came to a stop and raised his hand. Tephra stopped a few feet ahead and crossed her arms, giving Jay a quick nod.

"That would be me. Tephra and I found you guys unconscious and we got you to safety. When Spriggan woke up, she insisted on carrying you until you did the same," he explained.

"You owe me for trouble, Shortpike," Tephra added. Jay arced a brow and leaned towards Spriggan.

"Did she just call me 'Shortpike'?" she asked. Spriggan nodded.

"I suppose it's a habit of hers. She started calling me 'Daisy' when I woke up in Ritch's arms," she said. Jay looked between her and Ritch and shot her friend a sly look.

"Did he at least take you out to dinner first?" she snickered. Spriggan slapped Jay on the arm, trying to ignore the warmth rushing to her cheeks.

"We hardly have the time, Jay. We've been at this initiation far longer than expected. We'll be lucky if we're not the last ones to reach the temple," Spriggan said. Jay's grin dropped. She had completely forgotten that they were supposed to be going to a temple. She didn't know how much time had passed, but judging from the hurried pace they were walking, it wasn't short.

"There go my chances of being the first ones. I can't believe we're lagging behind so much," Ritch muttered. Even if he was talking to himself, he was speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. Jay furrowed her brow and shrugged indifferently.

"It's not the end of the world, Ritch. So we're not the fastest ones of the bunch yet. First times hardly ever mean anything," Jay said. Ritch looked back at her with a hard stare.

"But the first often sets the bar for everything else," Ritch replied. Jay arced a brow. Obviously he was taking this a lot more seriously than she was.

"Okay, overachiever. If you want to focus on firsts, let's focus on getting out of here in one piece first. I've had enough of this forest and its stupid cloaked kidnappers," Jay said.

"I have as well. The whole situation was…unpleasant," Spriggan shuddered when she thought back on what happened. She was ashamed that she was taken by surprise and knocked out before she even had a chance to resist. She leaned towards Jay, her voice dropping to a low whisper.

"Jay…do you remember anything about what happened. I couldn't see much unfortunately," she said. Jay stroked her chin in though, a frown growing steadily on her face.

"It's a little fuzzy. There was a cloaked girl. And…we got into a fight…she drugged me and I was out like a light. That's not a lot to go on," Jay crossed her arms, her eyes lowered to the grass, "One thing's for sure though, that definitely wasn't a huntress."

Jay cupped her chin. Nothing seemed to fit into place. Whoever their masked attacker was, she fought ferociously, almost like she intended to kill. But she didn't. Instead, she knocked the both of them out. It made sense if she really was a huntress and just incapacitated them as part of the initiation.

But then why do it in the middle of a forest filled with Grimm? Ozpin said there was a chance of dying if they weren't careful, but forcing them into a circumstance where they were practically defenseless was bordering on murder.

"Then who could it be? It would be suicide for anyone other than a Huntsman to walk around here," Spriggan said.

"We can argue the finer points later. Look," Ritch pointed a finger up ahead. A circular ruin stood before them. The stone work was covered in vines and grass poked through the cracks in the floor. At the edge of the ruins stood an array of pedestals, a few still holding a chess piece.

"At least we weren't last…right?" Jay said as they entered the ruin. Spriggan walked towards one of the few pedestals still holding a piece and picked it up. It's smooth texture glinted in the palm of her hand. Spriggan nodded to herself and held her chess piece up.

"At least we're not stuck for choice, hmm?" she said. Jay examined the artifact and scrunched her nose.

"Sprig, can't we get something other than a pawn?" she asked. Spriggan threw her a glance and tucked the white pawn into a pouch on her belt.

"You should give pawns a little bit more credit, Jay. There's not a single game of chess that doesn't rely on them," Spriggan replied. Jay shrugged and saw Ritch and Tephra picking up another pawn piece. She looked around at the other pedestals and sighed.

"Yeah, but I was kind of hoping we'd get something more…regal. Like a black queen or something," Jay said. Spriggan lightly laughed and shook her head.

"Unfortunately, we've been beaten to the punch. We have to make do with what we have," Spriggan said. The two rejoined Ritch and Tephra at the center of the ruins. Jay took a moment to look them both over now that she was out and about. If they were going to work together, it was a good idea to know what they were capable of.

Ritch seemed the most ready for combat. His glinting armor, while a bit of an eyesore, was definitely built to withstand punishment. The sword buckled to his belt looked fairly durable and shined with an impressive brilliance, as if it radiated a light of its own. But what confused Jay was the bag of canisters slung over his shoulder. He didn't have any other visible weapon, certainly nothing that had any ranged capabilities

Tephra didn't appear dangerous, but the same could be said for a lot of the new students. Jay just had to look a little deeper. She noticed Tephra's gloved hands were coated in what looked like red dust. The shield on her back had a razor-sharp edge with some dark blood coating it. Oddly enough, she hadn't opened her eyes since they met, but Jay brushed it off. They had more important things to worry about.

"Okay, a few grueling hours and an attempted kidnapping later, we're finally halfway done. Here's hoping the other half is better," Jay said. Around her she was given mixed receptions. Tephra gave a half-hearted shrug, Ritch raised a brow, and Spriggan wore an encouraging smile.

"Let's hurry up and get this over with. Preferably before the sun sets," Ritch said, crossing his arms. Jay paced back and forth in front of them, twiddling her thumbs as she addressed the only boy in their group.

"For once, I agree. You guys have watched Spriggan and I well enough. So now it's our turn. Ritch, Tephra, you guys can watch our backs and make sure nothing sneaks up on us. We'll take the brunt of whatever we run across," Jay ordered.

"Whatever you say, Shortpike," Tephra mumbled as she started walking back into the forest. Ritch glanced at Jay and nodded. He pulled out his sword and followed after his partner. Jay looked between Tephra and Spriggan, a dumbstruck expression on her face.

"Did she just call me Shortpike again?" Jay asked. Spriggan pulled out her axe with a light laugh.

"Indeed she did," she said as she went after the others. The look on Jay's face turned confused as she went after them with her weapon in hand.

"But…she's shorter than me."

...

Spriggan kept a watchful eye on the two people behind her. Just like Jay requested, they were keeping tabs on everything behind them. Ritch clutched his gleaming sword in both hands, watching the trail behind him like a hawk. While Tephra was looking straight ahead, her Faunus ears pivoting in every direction, listening for any sign of unwelcome guests.

"We're nearly there…I think," Jay suddenly said. Ritch stopped his searching and faced Jay with his usual serious face.

"You think? Can you be more specific?" he asked. Spriggan looked over her shoulder and motioned towards the trees surrounding them.

"A few more minutes, possibly. I remember the trees near our starting point having a slightly more pale color to their leaves. The trunks were also leaning slightly to the side, pointing away from the cliff," she said. Ritch gave her a look of surprise, one that Jay matched perfectly.

"You noticed something like that?" Ritch asked. Spriggan nodded with a proud smile.

"It comes with living out in the country. I grew up in a rural village a couple of miles from Vale. Being surrounded by nature so much, you begin to learn a few things," she said. She hadn't been to her old home in a while, having moved to Vale before coming to Beacon. She missed the wide open spaces and fresh, clean air. It was part of the reason why she enjoyed being outside so much.

"Hey, there's the cliff," Ritch pointed out. Spriggan looked up at the looming cliff. She could barely make out two figures standing at attention high above it, no doubt it was Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch.

"We're close. Just a little bit more," Spriggan said. The four stopped as they came to a sharp drop, white mist shrouding the bottom. Jay looked around for a way up the cliff face only to be met with disappointment. There was no easy way back up.

"We have to climb…of course," she said dejectedly. A small gasp left her lips as she pointed to their right.

"Looks like someone had a party over there," she said. All three turned to what she was pointing at. A ruin stretched over the bottomless chasm, littered with debris and deep gashes. No doubt caused by students making their way back to the top of the cliff.

"If they came through here. They must have found a way up," Spriggan said. Jay had half a mind to follow in their footsteps until she noticed how damaged the bridge was. An entire chunk had been blown away near one side and small bits of the bridge's supports were falling every moment. The entire thing looked like it would collapse at any moment.

Jay looked in the other direction and sighed in relief. There was another bridge not far away that looked relatively intact. She pointed towards it and turned towards her team.

"Let's try crossing that one. Keep any eye out for any Grimm. From the looks of it, they like to hang out around here," Jay ordered. The four walked towards the desolate ruins, keeping their weapons close and expecting the worst. As they reached the bridge, Jay relaxed her tense stance. There wasn't a sign of any Grimm coming their way.

"We may actually get through this without a fight," Jay said. She leaned Hydra Spike over her shoulder with a confident grin. Behind her, Tephra kept looking towards the forest. Something didn't feel right. She felt as if a thousand eyes were watching them. She picked up her pace, her closed eyes never leaving the forest behind them.

"That might be too much to ask for at this point," Spriggan said. Jay groaned and spread her arms out wide.

"There you go again with your doom speak. Stop it, Sprig. It's damaging to team morale," she said. She turned her attention ahead, silently counting the steps before she reached the bridge. Only a few feet were left until she reached it. Then she heard a sound that ran all her hopes into the ground.

An ungodly howl echoed in the forest behind them. All four turned to the source of the noise. A large pack of Beowolves emerged from the forest, maws wide open to display their vicious teeth.

"Damn it, Sprig. You did it again," Jay said.

"I'm sorry. I was unaware there was a Beowolf pack so close," Spriggan said as she pulled out her axe. Ritch faced the oncoming mob of Grimm and dropped into an offensive stance. One Beowolf broke off from the pack and charged him in reckless abandon

The Beowolf raised its claws and brought it down. Ritch pulled his sword back and answered with a swipe of his own. His golden sword sliced through its arm with ease. Ritch followed his momentum and spun in a circle as he dropped low, his blade coming back around and slicing through the Beowolf's legs.

The Beowolf toppled to the ground, howling in pain as it thrashed on the ground. Ritch stabbed his sword through its throat. Sensing a presence in front of him, he yanked his sword out and upwards, cutting through the middle of another Beowolf's head.

An icicle whizzed over his shoulder and impaled another incoming Beowolf. Tephra came up behind him, dust whirling around her hands. Another group of Beowolves emerged from the forests, howling their murderous intent. The Grimm's numbers swelled as they stepped closer, their predatory gaze falling on all of them. Jay took a step back, her eyes jumping from one Grimm to another.

"Tephra, fall back. Take out as many as you can from a distance. Sprig, Ritch, you're with me. We're taking down whatever gets too close," Jay ordered. Everyone took their positions and braced themselves as the black horde charged them head on.

Tephra summoned a cloud of dust into her hands. She flexed her fingers, firing the cloud of dust as it ignited into a ball of fire. The fireball exploded at the Grimm's feet, scorching an entire mob.

More Beowolves came to replace them, coming closer and closer to their holdout. Tephra hurled another ball of fire. The raging inferno exploded in the midst of the Grimm, blackening the grass and incinerating anything caught in its reach. Jay turned to Spriggan, pointing a finger at her axe.

"Sprig," Jay said. Her friend looked over to her, a small smile growing on her face. She nodded to Jay's silent request and held her battle axe out in front of her. Chrysolite began to fold in on itself. The two curved blades retracted into the body of her axe as the barrel of a shotgun popped out from the top. The grip of her axe bent into a curve, forming a handle. Spriggan gave her shotgun a quick cock, loading a fresh shell.

Spriggan pulled the trigger and blasted a hole in a Beowolf's abdomen. She loaded another round and gunned down more and more Beowolves, a litter of shells falling at her feet. Jay and Ritch closed in on the horde, slicing and stabbing everything that came too close. Jay jumped onto a Beowolf standing on its hind legs, violently stabbing her swordstaff into its chest. She kicked off its bloody corpse and delivered a swift kick to another's neck, sending it into a stumble and right into Ritch's sword.

Jay dropped to the ground and parried another Beowolf's claws, spinning around it and driving her blade through the back of its neck. The Beowolf fell to the ground with a dying whimper. Ritch came up behind her, holding his sword at the ready.

"There's too many. We're going to be overwhelmed," he said. Jay ducked under a Beowolf's claws and thrusted her blade into its knee, forcing in to collapse and leaving it helpless as Ritch decapitated it.

"You have any better ideas?" Jay said. Ritch faced the Grimm horde. A stricken look of shock came over his face. Without warning, he pushed Jay to the ground. A Boarbatusk suddenly rolled into him, knocking him aside.

Jay turned to face the horde of Grimm. More Boarbatusks came up to the frontlines, curling into a ball and launching themselves at them in breakneck speeds. Jay rolled out of the path of another and scrambled to her feet.

"Jay, we need a plan! We can't just keep fighting them," Spriggan shouted. Jay racked her brain, trying furiously to think of a plan. Another Boarbatusk rolled towards her. Jay jumped out of its way only to fall into the path of another one. It's body crashed into her, knocking the air out of her lungs. Her back cried out in agony as she hit the ground.

A spear of fire flew over her, catching a Beowolf in the chest and bursting it into flames. Tephra skidded to a stop behind her and lifted her to her feet.

"I think it's time we just run," She suggested as she incinerated another Beowolf. Jay tried to catch her breath. She gave a quick nod and lifted her swordstaff.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea," she relented. She turned towards the others and pointed to the bridge behind them.

"Fall back. There's no point taking them on!" she shouted. Spriggan and Ritch nodded their agreement and broke into a sprint towards the bridge. Jay grabbed Tephra by the shoulder, pointing at her dust covered hand.

"How good are you with that?" she asked. Tephra flicked her wrist, summoning a fresh cloud of dust from her shield.

"Depends on what you have in mind," she replied. Jay began to whisper something in her ear until a loud growl brought their attention forward. Three Ursa were running towards them.

Jay broke away from Tephra and delivered a flurry of slashes once one came close. Tephra used her shield to block another Ursa's heavy attacks. The third charged at Jay's side and pounced forward with its jaw wide open. Jay prepared to dodge the attack until the green curved blade of an axe sailed towards its open mouth and chopped its head in half, leaving the bottom jaw dangling from its neck. Spriggan came to Jay's side, her battle axe at the ready.

Tephra pushed her Ursa away and threw a cloud of dust under its feet. With a snap of her fingers, the dust activated. A massive spike of ice shot up from the ground, impaling the Ursa through its stomach.

Jay finished off the remaining Ursa and patted Spriggan on the shoulder to get her attention. She pointed back towards the bridge, with a quick nod. Spriggan obeyed her silent order and fell back. Jay turned back to Tephra and flashed a quick thumbs up. Tephra followed her signal and stayed behind. She concentrated on the dust in her shield and held her arms out wide, clenching her fists tightly. Every last speck of red dust floated from her shield and covered her arms.

Tephra turned on her heel and sprinted towards the bride, leaving a trail of red dust behind her. She stepped onto the bridge and kept running without looking back. The Grimm's roars drew closer behind her, urging her to run faster. The dust she left behind kicked up into the air as the Grimm stomped over it.

Ritch sliced through the abdomen of a Beowolf and, seeing Tephra running towards them, pressed a button underneath his sword's hilt. The blade made an audible grinding noise and split down the middle, revealing the body of a crossbow within. The two halves of his sword pivoted from the tip to form the limbs of his weapon. Ritch loaded a canister into his crossbow and fired bolt after bolt at every Grimm that came close to Tephra. Once she reached the end of the bridge, she turned around and slammed her fist against the stream of dust she left behind.

The dust flared to life, covering the entirety of the bridge in a river of flames. The dust left in the air by the Grimm exploded in their midst, killing swaths of them and blasting more off the bridge into the chasm below.

The ruins shook uncontrollably. Jay struggled to keep her balance, placing a hand on the ground for support. More explosions rocked the bridge's supports. The fire spread over its entirety, catching what few Grimm were remaining.

"This bridge isn't going to hold," Ritch said. Tephra looked down at her dust covered glove with a grimace.

"I may have used too much," she admitted. The bridge rocked from side to side. Jay looked back at the end of the bridge. The only thing there was the cliff wall.

"We're going to have to climb!" she shouted over the myriad of explosions. The others made a break for the cliff wall and began climbing its surface. Jay tried to do the same until the bridge leaned to the side, the sudden shift knocking Jay off her feet.

The bridge swayed even further. What little Grimm remained lost their footing and plummeted into the abyss. Jay grabbed a loose piece of the floor as the bridge tilted even further, her feet failing to find traction against the smooth stone.

She looked up to the others. Spriggan was already on the cliff face, but she wasn't moving. She was looking back down at Jay, her face wrought with fear. Jay gritted her teeth and pulled Hydra Spike loose, pointing the blade right at Spriggan.

The stone in her hand gave way and Jay felt herself going into freefall. She pulled the trigger of her staff and fired off the blade towards the cliffs. Jay shut her eyes and braced herself. Her whole body suddenly swung to the left and slammed against the cliff, nearly making her lose grip of her staff.

Jay cracked an eye open. She looked up and laughed when she saw Spriggan holding on to the other end of the chain. She sighed in relief and shook her head with an amused grin.

She turned to look out over the forest. What Grimm were left had given up and retreated back into the forest. The bridge they were on had completely vanished, lost at the bottom of the chasm beneath her dangling feet. Jay looked further out into the forest and felt her heart skip a beat. Her smile fell into a scowl as she caught sight of a familiar black cloaked woman standing at the tree line. The woman stood there for only a moment before she walked back into the forest.

Jay looked back up at Spriggan. She flipped the switch of her staff and slowly reeled herself back up. Once she got within arm's reach, Jay grabbed onto the cliff wall and buckled her staff to her belt. She turned to Spriggan and narrowed her eyes as they both climbed up the cliff's surface.

"Seriously, when this is over, we're going to have a talk about your doom speak."

...

A wave of pride washed over Jay as she stood firmly at attention with her hands clasped behind her back. The rest of her group was to her left, their posture just as rigid as hers. Their initiation was over and even though things didn't go as planned, they still completed their mission. In front of them stood Ozpin as he addressed the audience in the auditorium, announcing the new teams and the people that would lead them.

She had to ignore the shivers running down her spine. She finally passed initiation. She was going to attend Beacon with Spriggan as her partner. It took every ounce of willpower not to start celebrating right then and there. She snuck a glance at the others in her team, each of them with their own expressions of excitement.

"Jay Atlantis, Spriggan Arcadia, Tephra Nether, Ritch Dorado," Ozpin began. Jay re-focused back on Ozpin as he walked up to them. She stood a little bit straighter, doing her best to suppress the smile trying to grow on her lips.

"The four of you retrieved the white pawn pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Jetbead," Ozpin announced. The audience applauded their new coronation, making Jay tremble with pride. She shared a smile with Spriggan, giving each other a high five. Ozpin looked between them and allowed himself a small smile as he continued.

"Led by…Jay Atlantis!"

Jay's eyes widened, her arms falling slack at her sides with her jaw hanging open. Spriggan placed a hand over her mouth in shock. The crowd erupted into another polite applause, drowning out Jay's sputtered words.

"I-I…what? Me?" she said. Spriggan nudged her on the shoulder.

"Well you were the one giving the commands during initiation," she said. Jay looked up at the massive screen above them. The letters 'JTAD' were displayed beneath each of their pictures. She couldn't help but smile. She was just doing what felt natural. Thinking back on it now, she did take charge when no one else did. But did that really mean she was capable of taking care of three other people?

She looked to the other people in her team, hoping to find the answers there. Spriggan wore her customary supportive smile. Ritch crossed his arms and gave her a curt nod.

"Hey, if Ozpin wanted you to be leader, there's probably a good reason for it," he said. Next to him, Terra shrugged.

"Guess I'll be calling you 'Chief' from now on," she said. Jay laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, much better than Shortpike," she said. The four stepped off the stage as the next group came up. Jay placed a hand over her chest, listening to the rapid beating of her own heart. She was excited, hopeful, and nervous all at the same time. The rush of emotions made her head spin and put a spring in her step as they all joined the group of newly appointed teams.

She didn't expect to become the leader of Team Jetbead, but her teammates were more than supportive of her. If they believed she could live up to the responsibility, she wouldn't let them down. Whatever trials would come their way, they would face them head on without falter.

As long as she breathed, she would never let any harm come to them.


	5. Tell No Tales

**Hello everybody, with the end of finals coming to the horizon I celebrate by pumping this out. Now I can enjoy that sweet, sweet free time. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 5: Tell No Tales

Jay thumbed through the massive textbook in her arms. Her eyes glossed over each page without actually reading it. Complicated diagrams and scores of paragraphs littered every page, ranging from aura algorithms to regeneration techniques. Her head pounded from trying to decipher it all.

"You stare at it any harder and your eyeballs are gonna pop out," a voice said in front of her. Jay snapped her attention to the elderly man sitting in the desk in front of her. A chiding grin was hiding underneath his bushy grey beard. He wore a deep green sweater vest over a half tucked-in dress shirt. His tie loosely hung around his neck, striped with the same color as his sweater.

"I can't help it professor. Half of this stuff looks like it'll give me an aneurysm. Then again, what am I supposed to expect from a class called Advanced Aura Applications?" Jay replied. The professor laughed and leaned back into his leather chair, sliding his hands behind his bald head. Jay returned the smile. It was the first day of school and she already liked Professor Pine. His laid-back attitude and joking remarks managed to keep her attention better than most other professors.

"Welcome to Beacon, kid. This is just the introductory material. If you don't tear your hair out by the end of the semester, consider yourself lucky," he said. Jay's grin widened. She reached out and rubbed the top of Professor's Pine head as she made a high-pitched squeaking noise.

"Is that what happened to you?" she teased. Professor Pine answered with a smile of his own.

"Trust me, kid, when you get to be my age you'll hold onto whatever hair you have left," he said. Jay pulled her hand away and pointed at his beard.

"If I don't, is it going to slide down my face like yours?" she asked. Professor Pine laughed and slapped his knee, rattling his own desk with his animated motions. He calmed himself down and ran his fingers through the coarse hair covering his jaw. A sigh left his lips.

"Jay, you remind me a little too much of myself back in my younger days. I can already tell you're going to be one of my problem students," he joked. Jay shrugged with a roll of her eyes, her grin never leaving.

"Can't you have a little bit more faith in me? It's only my first day. I can change," she said.

"I've no doubt about that. You are the leader of Team Jetbead after all. If you haven't matured now, you better do it quick. You've got big, scary responsibilities now," he said in an ominous tone while wiggling his fingers. Jay frowned for a brief second. The memories of what happened during her initiation came flooding back. The attack, the drugging, it all left a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. One that refused to go away no matter how much she tried to force it down.

Professor Pine furrowed his brow and leaned forward in his chair. Only then, did Jay realize the troubled expression written on her face was plain as day.

"Something the matter, Jay?" he asked with concern. Jay coughed into her fist and brushed it against the lapels of her uniform.

"I-It's nothing, Professor. Just first day jitters," Jay said. Her grin barely held together as she bowed to Professor Pine before exiting the class. She could feel the professor's gaze boring into the back of her skull, but thankfully he stayed silent as she closed the door behind her.

Out in the halls, Spriggan was leaning against the opposite wall with her arms crossed. The concerned look on her face mirrored Pine's own.

"Something's wrong. I can tell," Spriggan said. Jay gave her a half-hearted shrug. She turned away from her friend and crossed her arms.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked. Spriggan approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She gave it a light squeeze, hoping to provide some comfort. Jay's downcast expression didn't change. She couldn't stop herself from rewinding the whole fight over and over again, hoping to gleam some rhyme or reason behind the attacks. Each time she came up with nothing.

Jay turned just enough so that her eyes met Spriggan's. Her voice falling to a whisper as she spoke, "It's still bothering me. We were attacked, Sprig, and we don't even know who's responsible. I feel like I'm already failing as a leader."

"Don't blame yourself, Jay. It wasn't your fault. Neither of us expected to be attacked like that in the middle of Beacon grounds," Spriggan said. Despite her attempts, Jay's frown didn't falter. Spriggan placed her free hand on Jay's other shoulder and turned her so that they were face to face, "It's not your fault. We're both okay. So we can both try to figure out how to solve this."

Jay took a deep breath and lowered her eyes to the floor. She gave a slow nod, "You're right...you're right. We should tell somebody. It won't do us any good if we're the only ones who know about it."

"You should tell Professor Ozpin. If anyone can get to the bottom of this, it's him," Spriggan suggested. Jay looked up and gave a single, hesitant nod.

"I-I'll go see him right now. If I'm lucky, I'm just blowing this whole thing out of proportion and everything will be fine," Jay said. Spriggan smiled and let got of Jay's shoulders.

"And if you're not?" she asked. Jay stared at her before she cracked a half-hearted smile.

"You're doomtalking again, Sprig. Might wanna look into that," she said. Spriggan stared at Jay for a moment until she broke the silence with an airy laugh. Jay's smile widened and she gave Spriggan a quick farewell before turning in the other direction. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't worried. A part of her didn't even want to entertain the possibility of the attack being more than what she thought it was.

Jay made her way back through Beacon's main building where the headmaster's office was located. Most of the students had filtered out of its lavish halls, leaving them barren. Weaving through corridor after corridor, she arrived at the campus' main lobby and ascended a flight of stairs. A few of Beacon's professors passed her by as she walked, giving her a polite nod or a short greeting.

Out of habit, Jay tucked her hands into her uniform jacket's pockets. She wasn't wearing the usual golden armor that hid her prosthetic, instead opting for the uniform's long sleeve and a black glove to keep it concealed.

Eventually she reached a set of double doors, an elevator leading to Ozpin's office. Jay wringed her hands. She had never talked to Ozpin in person before. If the way he addressed the new students was anything to go by, she was afraid he was going to be rather callous about her concerns if he even bothered to listen to her at all. She reached out to the call button, taking a deep sigh to calm her nerves.

"Looking for someone?"

She froze on the spot, her finger stopping just short of the button. She hesitantly looked over her shoulder, catching sight of a tall man in dark green clothing with grey hair and small, circular glasses. In one hand was a mug with a thin trail of steam leaving its contents and in the other he held a cane which he tapped against the floor.

"Uh…y-you…actually," Jay sputtered out. If Ozpin was surprised, he didn't show it. Instead, he raised his cane and pressed the bottom end against the button Jay was reaching for. A soft _ding _echoed from the panel and the twin doors slid open in a smooth motion.

"Well you found me," he said, stepping inside the elevator. He turned to face Jay, tapping the floor next to him expectantly. Jay took cautious steps inside, the elevator doors sliding shut behind her. A feeling of weightlessness overcame her as the elevator began its ascent up to Ozpin's office. She took her spot next to Ozpin and awkwardly shifted in her place.

Her tense stance was a complete opposite to the man next to her. Her entire perception of him was shaken to say the least. The Ozpin she saw at the welcoming ceremony was cold and blunt. But now, he was relaxed and at peace, almost aloof. An aura of calm seemed to radiate around him, putting her own tension at ease.

The elevator soon slowed to a stop, jolting Jay to her senses. The doors opened to a grand circular room. At the far end was a bare bones desk and chair. Behind it was a window overlooking the entrance to the academy.

Ozpin was the first to step out, the only sound in the room coming from his cane rapping against the floor. Jay followed with small steps. She couldn't stop herself from turning in a slow circle, taking in all the finer details of Ozpin's office. She looked up at the transparent window above them. An intricate combination of cogs and machinery moved with every passing second like the gears of a clock.

"So to what do I owe the pleasure, Jay? " Ozpin asked as he sat down in his chair. Jay snapped to attention, taken a little off guard by Ozpin using her name so casually. She walked towards the front of his desk, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"Well…Ozpin, sir. It's about the initiation. When I was walking around with my partner, trying to get to the temple, we were um…attacked," Jay started, rubbing the back of her neck. Ozpin leaned forward, tenting his fingers together as he listened to Jay's story, "It wasn't Grimm, I know that. It was a girl, I think. Black cloak, white mask. She drugged my partner with some dart and tried to kill me. I fought back, but she ended up drugging me too. Next thing I know, the other half of my team is carrying me away."

Jay took a deep breath and looked Ozpin in the eye, her voice turning solemn, "I just wanted to know, was that part of the initiation? Because after everything that happened, I'm not so sure."

Ozpin stayed silent, his face never wavering from its neutral expression. The long pause was finally ended with a short hum as Ozpin took a sip from his mug.

"I see. During your initiation, I explicitly stated to your professors that we would not interfere under any circumstances," Ozpin said. Jay gave a slow nod, the unfortunate truth dawning in her mind.

"I get it. So that means that whoever was out there…"

"Was not a member of Beacon's faculty, yes. A troubling thought, but not one that can't be put to rest. In the interest of securing Beacon grounds, I'll send a few professors to look for any signs of our guest. Don't worry, Jay. We'll get to the bottom of this," Ozpin said in a warm, gentle tone. Jay gave him a relieved smile and nodded.

"Thank you, Professor Ozpin. I appreciate you lending me an ear. I just wanted to make sure my team was safe from…whoever that was," Jay said. Ozpin rose from his chair and circled around his desk.

"A noble goal. Keep having the interests of others in your heart and you'll make a fine huntress," he said. Jay stood up straighter, practically beaming at Ozpin's praise. Her eyes fell to the floor as her smile grew a little wider.

"Thank you, Headmaster. I'll try not to let you down," she said. Ozpin reached out and took Jay's left arm with a gentle hand. Jay furrowed her brow as he turned her gloved hand over and pulled it off, revealing her mechanical hand. Jay flexed her silicone fingers. The servos in her hand whined with the small motion.

"This is was a turning point in your life, wasn't it?" Ozpin asked her. Jay gulped and replied with a curt nod. Ozpin pinched the cuff of her sleeve and rolled it up, exposing more and more of Jay's arm. The shape of the prosthetic was modeled with layers of plating that looked similar to human muscle, giving it an aesthetically organic look. The sweeping contours and smooth dermal layers were cold to the touch, but Ozpin didn't pull away, "Modern medicine certainly is a marvel."

"Yeah...it was," Jay agreed with a subdued tone. Ozpin pulled her sleeve back down and placed the glove back in Jay's metal palm.

"Regardless of your injuries, you've come this far. Strength of will often surpasses any measure of raw power. Keep that in mind when it seems as if the world is against you," Ozpin said. Jay closed her fingers around the glove and let it fall to her side. Her prosthetic was a constant reminder of what would happen without the Huntsmen. It was her source of motivation, her promise to never abandon people to fate.

Jay gave Ozpin a polite bow and turned on her heel to enter the elevator. Once the elevator doors slid closed, Jay shut her eyes, nodding to herself in satisfaction.

Everything was in Ozpin's hands now. She did her job. All that was left was for Ozpin to do his. She had faith that the headmaster would handle any problems that came from investigating this mysterious woman prowling Beacon grounds. She was only one person after all. There was no way she would be able to escape the vigilance of experienced Huntsmen all by herself

...

Hecate raced through the Emerald Forest's foliage, her heart pounding a mile a minute. She had spent the better part of an hour moving from place to place. She silently cursed her luck. She was expecting resistance from the local Grimm population, but she wasn't counting on the sudden appearance of full-fledged Huntsmen.

The scowl on her face grew wider as she realized she was about to run into another group of Huntsmen. She planted her back against a tree, trying to stay as motionless as possible.

"Ah, good show, Professor Pine. Why, a blow like that was enough to rattle even me!" a man bellowed. Hecate peeked around the tree to see a portly man laughing jauntily as he leaned an odd blunderbuss with an axe blade on his shoulder. In front of him, an elderly professor with a bald head and a bushy grey beard pried his mace off the massive corpse of a Deathstalker. His thin frame was all too familiar.

"A compliment from the illustrious Professor Port? And here I thought my good fortune had peaked when I started teaching here," Pine joked as he joined the stout teacher. Port twirled his moustache with a thick finger and took a step closer to the Grimm's remains.

"A shame that the Grimm dissolve so quickly. What wonders the students could learn if they managed to dissect one of these beasts," Port said. Pine lightly laughed and tapped the Deathstalker's rapidly decomposing outer shell. Both of them seemed too preoccupied with their conversation to notice Hecate moving from tree to tree, staying just outside their peripheral vision.

"Speaking of which, we should really wrap this up. We're losing daylight and I still have papers to grade," Pine said with a hint of impatience. Port laughed and removed his blunderbuss from his shoulder, hefting its weight in both arms.

"Now, now, Pine. Searching for prey is an invigorating experience. Why, it reminds me of the time I hunted a white Beowolf during my excursions to Mistral. Legend has it that a white Beowolf could tear a man in two with a single swipe of its claws," Port droned. Hecate leaned against the trunk of another tree, her frown growing deeper. They really were looking for her.

"I should have killed them when I had the chance. Damn it!" Hecate cursed under her breath. She bit her tongue as Port suddenly looked in her direction. The professor took a few steps towards her, leveling his rifle at the tree she was behind.

"A subtle sound, but not one to escape my notice. Come on out, beast, so that you may meet your dignified end!" Port taunted. Hecate gritted her teeth. Her hands fell on her twin swords, pulling them a few inches out of their sheaths.

Pine suddenly put a hand on Port's shoulder, "C'mon, Port. We shouldn't waste our time with this Grimm. We've searched this place over and over and we haven't found a single clue about this intruder. Besides, after your heart to heart with the Schnee girl, you deserve a cup of coffee. My treat, eh?"

Hecate kept still, stopping herself from even breathing. A pregnant silence filled the air as she waited for Port's reply. Finally, Port laughed and Hecate heard him strap his blunderbuss on his back.

"Very well! We shouldn't keep Ozpin waiting, after all. Shall we move on, Conifer?" Port asked. Professor Pine nodded and held a hand out to the expansive space opposite of Hecate.

"After you, Port. Having you take point would help me breathe easier. I'll cover the rear," Pine said. Port gave him a quick thumbs up and headed deeper into the forests with Pine in tow. Just before he disappeared into the foliage, Pine looked back and made eye contact with Hecate. He gave her a quick nod. Hecate returned the gesture.

Once he was gone, she ran as fast as she could, ducking under low hanging branches and climbing up steep hills. She listened intently for any sign of Huntsmen amidst the gentle whispers of the trees. Hearing nothing, she slowed her pace to a stop. She sighed in relief and crossed her arms.

"Professor Pine…I should have known," she said. A hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Hecate acted on pure reflex, pulling her sword free and thrusting it forward as she was turned around to face her attacker.

A dull metallic ringing echoed in the forest. Hecate's sword was knocked upwards and out of her hand, landing a few feet away.

"A bit jumpy, hm? I suppose I should commend you for your vigilance at the very least," Pine said, his mace still held in the air after parrying Hecate's attack. Hecate glared at him and went to retrieve her sword, sliding it back into its sheath.

"What the hell is going on? Why are there so many Huntsmen out here looking for me?" she demanded. Pine looked off to the side, appearing somewhat disappointed.

"Possibly because you didn't practice any sense of discretion. I was afraid of this. Now I have to stick my neck out and risk detection. The rest of the council won't be happy if that happens," Pine said. Hecate scoffed. She knew how vital Pine's work was. Being both a Macabre Councilman and a Professor at Beacon, he was in a precarious position.

"I don't think it matters at this point, considering I already have half of Beacon's staff looking for me," Hecate argued. Pine either didn't hear her or didn't care as he looked off in the distance.

"We can still salvage this. The forest is big and most of the professors already think this is a waste of time. I'm just stoking the fires as best as I can. There's no reason to resort to rash action. Especially considering that this is all because of one new student," Pine said. Hecate scoffed, turning her back to him.

"Seems to me that rash action is the only way to accomplish anything here," she shot back.

"If it's your death you wish to accomplish, by all means" Pine replied in a cool tone. He walked up beside her and grabbed her forearm, yanking it upwards and revealing the dart mechanism strapped to her wrist.

"Don't forget. Rash action is responsible for what happened to Pepper. She's lost every bit of what she used to be. Now she's little better than a husk," he said. Hecate wrenched her arm free. Her eyes burned with fury behind her mask.

"Don't bring her into this," she growled. Pine hefted his mace against his shoulder and shrugged with a resigned sigh.

"You're right, of course. I apologize. I'm merely trying to make a point," Pine said. He looked away from her, but he could still sense the scowl written plainly on her face.

Pine slipped his scroll out of his pocket and checked the time. The sun was setting and it wouldn't be long until the forest was obscured by total darkness.

"Given the time of day, I'd bet the odds are in your favor. You'd best take advantage. I'll hand in my report to Ozpin; tell him we didn't find a sign of the supposed intruder," Pine said. Hecate nodded and began walking away until Pine grabbed her by the shoulder, "Hecate, I'd advise for you to stay away from Beacon for the time being."

Hecate sighed and placed a hand over her mask. She much preferred working alone, but she would be lying if she said she felt confident enough to risk walking further into the lion's den.

"It's fine. I have other ideas in mind," she said. Pine watched her for a moment. Hecate refused to make eye contact with him. Neither of them said a word until Pine released his hand from her shoulder and took a step back.

"I suppose the Council was right in sending you here. I'll keep them off your back for as long as I can, but don't take your time," he said. He walked away from Hecate with relaxed steps. Hecate crossed her arms and turned away from him. Just before he left earshot, she called out to him.

"Pine?"

He turned around to face her. Hecate came up to him and pressed a finger against his chest.

"I'm going to need a few extra men. And I want all the intel you have on this new student and their team," she said. Pine raised a brow. He grabbed Hecate's hand and pushed it away. A man in his position could provide both with no problem. Nobody would think twice about a professor accessing the personal information of his students.

"I'll do what I can," Pine said. Hecate gave a firm nod and Pine heard the rapid bristling of grass before he was left to the forest's silence.

He waited for a while longer then headed back towards the academy. It was a funny thing. Pine had been a Huntsman long before he ever became a double agent for the Macabre. But as the years went by, he began to realize how pointless this feud was. Both factions wanted the same thing, yet both wanted the other dead.

To Pine, neither side was entirely in the right. The Huntsmen were too comfortable where they were and the Macabre were too bloodthirsty for their own good. On their own, he was afraid that Humanity's situation would never improve. That's why he continued to play both sides. He hoped that someday, he could broker a truce between the two factions. If the Huntsmen and the Macabre could join forces, Humanity could finally spread outward and exterminate the Grimm once and for all.

All he wanted was peace, no matter who provided it. Huntsmen or Macabre, it didn't matter to him. The ends justified the means. He only hoped that he would live long enough to see his efforts come to fruition.

...

Ozpin's fingers moved in a methodical, even pace across his keyboard. He stopped for a brief moment to drink from his mug. The first day of school could be intimidating, but from the looks of his new students, they were adjusting well to their new life.

He looked over the class roster once more. Many teams proved to be promising and others were well on their way to becoming the star pupils of their class. Despite a setback concerning leadership in a particular team, the day had been a rousing success.

The elevator door to his office chimed and slid open. A senior professor walked out with his glassy eyes aimed towards him. Ozpin returned the look, peering at Professor Conifer Pine over the rim of his glasses.

"Professor. I assume you're here to report your findings in the Emerald Forest?" he said. Pine stopped at the front of his desk and bowed in respect.

"I am, Headmaster. We fanned out in groups of two starting from the south and moving in a wide sweep across the forest. Aside from the local Grimm resistance, we found no evidence suggesting there was an intruder during initiation," he said. Ozpin hummed in acknowledgement. He expected as much. Someone skilled enough to combat the Grimm and drug two Huntresses in training would be smart enough to cover their tracks. Whoever their uninvited guest was, they were certainly no ordinary person.

Ozpin took another long drink from his cup. As much as he wanted to pursue the trail, other things required his attention. Plus, there was little else to go on. All he had was one girl's testimony, hardly substantial evidence to push the matter further. He shut his eyes and released the smallest of sighs, his face softening for a brief moment.

"I appreciate your efforts, Professor. I've taken enough of your time. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening. One should enjoy these small moments of respite wherever we find them," he said. The corners of Pine's lips tugged upwards as he laughed.

"I'm already a dusty old relic, Headmaster. Retirement is just around the corner. I want to put in one hundred percent effort while I'm still here," he replied. Ozpin propped his elbows against the table, tenting his fingers together. Conifer had been teaching in Beacon for years. He had devoted his life to the education and training of future Huntsmen. There was no greater honor than that in Ozpin's eyes. He respected the man, through and through.

"You've been invaluable to the Huntsmen, Conifer. Not just to us but to your students as well. They all look to you in admiration. There's not a doubt in mind, that you've made an impact on all of them," Ozpin praised. Pine swallowed the lump in his throat, throwing the headmaster a wry smile. While Ozpin's words were kind, he didn't draw any comfort from them. He didn't shirk his responsibilities as a teacher; it was one of the few things he took seriously. But his pride as a teacher was hollow considering he was using his position to actively hurt the Huntsmen out of his responsibility to the Macabre.

"Thank you, Ozpin. My students mean a lot to me. So much so that I'm going to march straight to my office and finish up my lesson plans for tomorrow," he said, eager to draw their conversation to a close before Ozpin said anything else that would send daggers into his heart. He turned back and headed into the elevator, punching in the button to the classroom wing of the Academy.

The trip to his office was longer than he'd like. A few teachers were still in their classrooms finishing up their reports and grading whatever practice assignments they had given during the day. By the time he reached his classroom, the halls were washed with the glowing moonlight pouring in from outside. His classroom was on par with others in size, designed like an amphitheater with his desk standing in front of elevated sections where the students were seated. Behind his desk was a single wooden door that led to his private office.

Pine headed inside and sat down in front of his computer. He opened the class roster with one hand while he fished his scroll out of his pocket with the other. Thumbing the wireless connection on his scroll he waited patiently as it linked to his computer.

_Connection established._

_Synchronizing class roster file._

Pine sighed and typed in a few more commands. The keys clacking along in absolute silence.

_Download criteria enabled…_

_24 Beacon Teams omitted from download…_

_Team 'Jetbead' (JTAD) file downloading…_

_Download complete_

Pine cut the connection to his scroll and sent the file to a unmarked number in his contacts. A lethargic feeling rose in his chest. He reached behind his monitor and switched the display off, dropping him in absolute darkness. He leaned back into his chair and shut his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jay. Please don't judge me too harshly. I only want what's best for Remnant. Even if it means...sacrificing...a few people for now," Pine said. A wave of exhaustion overwhelmed him. He could finish his lesson plans later. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to just rest. He wanted to push the feelings of guilt festering in his chest.

Before he knew it, he fell into a light sleep, a permanent frown etched on his face.

...

Hecate stared down at the scroll in her hand. The new message icon blinked at the corner of the screen. The bright light coming from the scroll lit up her mask, making it the only visible thing in the otherwise dim room.

She looked up from the screen at the six cloaked men in front of her. She made a brief nod and started walking towards them, raising her voice loud enough for all of them to hear.

"As of now, you are all under my command. You will not defer to any judgement except my own and my word is law. Am I clear?" she started. Several murmurs of affirmation followed her question. In one smooth motion, Hecate opened the file on her scroll and held it up in front of them. Four pictures were displayed on the small screen. Each one belonged to a member of Team JTAD.

"These four know we exist and they have taken actions against us already. It is our responsibility to ensure it doesn't happen again," she said. She lowered her scroll and dropped it into a pocket in the inside of her cloak. She looked at each person under her command before continuing.

"The Huntsmen have taken everything from you. They've taken everything from me. They say they are the protectors of peace while they leave hundreds to the Grimm's mercy every day. Innocent men and women died because of their selfish actions. Entire villages have been razed because of their behavior. It's time we fought back. The Huntsmen will answer for their crimes," she said. Everyone gave their cheers of determination, a few raising their swords high into the air. Hecate crossed her arms. The hollering and calls for blood rang through her ears and sent shivers down her spine. This was the raw, destructive ferocity of the Macabre. This was the iron will that allowed them to stand toe to toe with the best fighters in Remnant.

Every person in the Macabre had a stake in their fight. Whether it was for peace, personal revenge, or saving innocent people, they were all more than willing to give their lives for the promise of a better future. If that meant exterminating the Huntsmen, then so be it. Innocent lives were riding on their shoulders and Hecate would rather die than let them become victims.


	6. The Tables Turned

**Finally managed to get this out. Yeah! Time's been pretty stretched but lo and behold I managed to make a new chapter. Thank you guys for your support! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. So enjoy!**

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Chapter 6: The Tables Turned

Jay walked with slow, long steps down Vale's sidewalk. The afternoon sun beat down on her, making her walk across town that much more unbearable. Her body felt like cinder blocks being cooked in an oven. Were it up to her, she should have stayed in the comfort of her own dorm room with her team. But as team leader, it was up to her to take on a very important mission, one that would save the lives of everyone on her team.

"Man…grocery shopping sucks," she whined. After her team had properly unpacked and settled themselves in their new dorm room, they needed to stock their dorm room with every day supplies and toiletries. Since the others were less inclined to go to the city on a shopping run in doomsday degree temperatures, Jay's team voted to have her do it despite her protests.

Jay tugged on her blue scarf, sighing in discontent. Even Spriggan wasn't up to join her this time around. But Jay didn't miss the cheeky smile on her face as she left the dorm. It was as if her own best friend was going out of her way to make her life miserable.

"What's the point of being team leader if I'm getting overruled by my subordinates?" she asked herself. She expected there to be differing opinions, but she didn't expect all of them to be riled up against her. Jay sighed and spotted a glint of gold out of the corner of her eye. She let a small grin take hold. At the very least, she could take comfort from the fact that she was able to wrangle some additional help.

"How do you think I feel? I'm all for helping but spending my afternoon running around the city isn't what I had in mind," Ritch said, wiping the sweat off his brow. Jay spun on her feet and started walking backwards so that she faced him.

"Think of it as a bonding experience. I bet Sprig and Tephra are having girl talk while we're gone anyway. This is a good chance to get to know each other," Jay said. She smirked and threw a few playful punches against Ritch's chest plate. Her metal hand made a sharp _ding_ every time it landed against his armor.

Coming to the Vale docks, the two walked down a small street reserved for pedestrians. A line of trees ran down the middle of the path, decorated with festive banners that ran from the branches to the buildings on either side. Jay looked up at the one of the banners, reading the bold letters that ran along its length.

"Oh yeah, the Vytal festival is coming around. I hear it's supposed to be amazing this year," Jay said. Ritch read the banners as they passed. A time to celebrate different cultures and kingdoms, the festival was always the talk of the town months before it even began. Many of the other students were already getting excited, talking adamantly about their plans to partake in the celebrations.

"Thinking about qualifying us for that tournament?" Ritch asked. Jay shrugged. The tournament was the main attraction in the Vytal Festival. Huntsmen from all over Remnant would compete for their kingdoms. Not only would the winners achieve an impressive set of bragging rights, but they would also be put on the fast track towards worldwide fame.

"If you guys want. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of competing. I'd rather focus on my studies," she said. Ritch threw her an odd look. One that Jay returned with a tilt of her head, "What? Is there something on my face?"

"You just never struck me as the academic type, Jay. No offense. You seem more obsessed with your soap operas than whatever's written in a textbook," Ritch answered. Jay huffed and crossed her arms in a tight lock. Despite her venom-filled glare, Ritch snickered and turned his attention back to the path. Jay relented and did the same, muttering under her breath.

The two came to a stop in front of a small shop. The storefront was washed with bright colorful signs hanging over stands containing an assortment of fruits and vegetables. A few people were standing around them, picking out different fruits and checking them for ripeness before heading inside or putting them back. Jay stepped passed through the automatic double doors, savoring the rush of cool air like an oasis in a desert.

"So, whatcha need Ritch? Protein powder? Deodorant? Guyliner?" she asked. Ritch scoffed and headed into one of the first aisles with Jay following close behind.

"I'm perfectly capable of shopping for myself, Jay. You don't have to worry about me," Ritch said as he browsed through a selection of toothbrushes. Jay rolled her eyes and perused the other side of the aisle. For a while, the soft music leaving the store intercom was the only thing filling the silence between them.

Ritch stroked his chin as he examined two different prices when he felt a boot suddenly nudge him on his lower back. He fell slightly forward, bracing himself against the shelves to keep his balance. Behind him, Jay snickered.

"Did you really have to do that?" he asked as he re-oriented himself. Jay shrugged and turned to face him fully, holding a small box in her hand.

"Well, as leader I thought I should let you know that the whole mess with the kidnapper thing figured itself out," Jay said.

"They catch whoever was doing it?" Ritch asked. Jay frowned slightly and shook her head.

"No, but the professors didn't find anything. They think that whoever it was must have run off after you guys spooked her. I guess that means we won't be seeing her again any time soon," Jay said. Ritch hummed and tilted his head to the right as he crossed his arms.

"That's good to hear at least. I trust the professors to know what they're doing. As long as that girl doesn't try it again, I'm perfectly fine with forgetting it ever happened," Ritch said. Jay cracked a small smile and lifted the box in her hand slightly.

"Hear, hear," she said. Ritch peered at the box and raised a brow as he read the label.

"Green hair dye? What do you need that for?" he asked. Jay glanced at the box before tucking it under her arm.

"It's for Sprig. What, did you think her hair was naturally green?" she laughed. Ritch paused and shrugged, making Jay laugh again, "Her hair's brown. She's just a green freak."

Ritch opened his mouth to say something until he caught a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye. An overwhelming sense of dread squeezed his heart as he recognized the chauffeur that had driven him to Beacon standing outside. His ever-present cocky grin grew even wider when they made eye-contact. The man extended two fingers toward Ritch and curled them towards his chest, beckoning him to come outside.

Jay snapped a finger in front of his face, breaking his concentration. Her look of concern deepened when Ritch frowned and slumped his shoulders.

"H-Hey, you alright? Kinda did a 180 with your mood there," she said. Ritch snapped his attention back outside to see the man wave him over with more insistence. He turned back to Jay and tried to sputter out a variety of words, each one dying in his throat.

Finally, he sighed and rubbed the back of his head. His eyes fell to the linoleum floor as he muttered, "I got to go outside real quick. I'll be back in a sec."

Ritch walked out of the aisle without looking back. He made a beeline for the exit and was met with a cackling laughter that wore on his patience.

"Ehehe, Ritchie. I can't believe you actually came. That's a good boy. Now come on, come on. There's someone I want you to meet," he said. Ritch glared at him and took a step closer. Even though he was a head taller than the man, he was still stuck under his thumb. The irony didn't seem to be lost on the chauffeur as he grabbed Ritch by the collar of his undershirt and pushed him forward, "So what is a gallant man like you doin' with that raven-haired gal in there? I never figured you to be a regular ladies man, Ritchie. I could hear her swoonin' from out here."

Ritch tried his hardest not to punch the man. He would say anything to get under his skin. It was his own way of deriving amusement from Ritch's misery. Just like everyone else that had taken advantage of him. Realizing he wasn't going to get the amusement he wanted, the chauffeur walked past him while keeping a grip on his collar, pulling him into a nearby alleyway.

"Well, don't sweat it. Right now, I want you to meet a very special person. You can call her a…new business partner," he said. The chauffeur led Ritch further and further into the alleyways. The layout of the back alley was like a maze, with constant twists and turns that made it difficult for Ritch to map it all out.

They came to a rest in a small courtyard, surrounded by rusted chain link fences and overflowing garbage cans. The chauffeur let go of his collar and took a few steps forward.

"Alright, Ritch, here's the deal. We're gonna need you to spill whatever you got on those people you've been hanging around with," he said bluntly. Ritch blinked. His hand twitched towards his sword, but stopped himself from going too far. The chauffeur was still a representative of Ritch's boss, no matter how much he hated the man.

"Excuse me? Why the hell would I do that?" Ritch demanded. The chauffeur snickered as if it was a rhetorical question and took a step closer to him. Unconsciously, Ritch took a step back.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't being clear enough. The three girls you live with. You're going to tell me every little thing you know about them. All of it," The chauffeur said. Ritch blinked before his face contorted in anger.

"Why do you need to know that?" he asked. Before the chauffer could speak, Ritch immediately cut him off, "Actually, don't answer that. I'm not telling you anyways. It's none of your business."

"Oooh, I'm sorry, Ritch. I didn't mean to imply you had a choice," the chauffeur said. Ritch's hands curled into fists. He gritted his teeth. Every fiber in his being flared up in a fury.

"Get this through your thick skull. I'm not telling you anything. End of discussion," Ritch said. He turned his back to the chauffeur. Then a sudden swipe across his face sent him stumbling backwards. His aura struggled to cope with the unexpected attack. He cracked an eye open to see a black figure deliver a swift kick to his side followed by a punch to the gut.

The wind was forced out of Ritch's lungs. He fell to his knees, his hands grasping the ground with feeble strength. His choking gasps of air were all that he could manage. His kidneys burned in agony. The pain was excruciating.

A boot landed on his neck and forced him fully against the ground. His entire body felt like lead. His vision refocused itself just in time to see the chauffeur before the man kicked him in his face and drowned him in a sea of darkness.

"Well, I didn't figure he'd be that difficult," the chauffeur said. Next to him, Hecate removed her boot from Ritch's neck. The huntsman was knocked out cold, his body crumpled in a pathetic state. She looked around the courtyard and gave a sharp whistle.

Three other Macabre members came out of hiding. Two of them grabbed Ritch by the arms and hoisted him up. Hecate pointed further into the alleys. The two followed her order and dragged Ritch away as Hecate turned to the chauffer.

"Your role in this is over. Leave," she said abruptly. The chauffeur placed a hand against his chest in mock hurt.

"Oh you wound me, my dear lady. Surely, you can't send a man on his way without his just desserts, could you?" he said. Hecate produced a small pouch of lien from her cloak and tossed it to him. The chauffer stuffed his reward into his breast pocket and bowed to Hecate, "Pleasure doin' business, lady. Just make sure you toss 'im in the river when you're done."

The man waved Hecate goodbye as he left with his prize. Hecate turned to the last member of the Macabre and pointed towards the alleyway where he left, "Follow him. Make sure he doesn't get any ideas."

The Macabre nodded and headed down the same alley, leaving Hecate on her own. The first phase of their plan was in effect. It would only be a matter of time before the rest of his team came looking for him. Then she'd have them right where she wanted them.

…

"Where the hell did they go?" Jay asked herself. She paced back and forth, peering down a branching path in the alleys. She knew something wasn't right when Ritch walked off with hardly a word. So she watched him from inside the store when she noticed a man drag him away and into the confusing layout of Vale's alleyways.

Jay walked down the path to her right. Her hand hovered over Hydra Spike. She had no reason to expect violence, but a rotten feeling in the back of her throat warned her to be careful. Vale, while it had its beauty, had a festering infection of organized crime. Everything from the White Fang to Atlesian mercenaries operated out of Vale, using its glitz and glamour as an effective cover.

She rounded a corner and came to a dead stop, nearly colliding with a man in a yellow blazer. The sunken eyes and gangly limbs gave off every impression of a weasel.

"Woah, hey there girl. Almost didn't notice you there," he said. Jay looked up and narrowed her eyes. It was the same man who had dragged Ritch away. He ran a hand over his raggedy hair and cleared his throat, "Well I'm in a bit of a hurry. So if you'll excuse me."

The chauffeur stepped past her until she placed a hand against his chest and pushed him back. The chauffeur tried to walk away again and Jay pushed him once more.

"Come on, girl. What's this all about? I got places to be," he said. Jay glared at him and grabbed a fistful of his jacket, pulling the taller man down to her level.

"So do I, so I'll make this quick. Where's Ritch?" she asked. The chauffeur stared at her wide-eyed and shrugged nonchalantly.

"Dunno. The boy ran off on his own. I'm sure if you hurry, you can catch up to him," he said. He wringed himself out of Jay's grasp and smoothed out the wrinkles on his yellow blazer. Jay eyed him with caution. Her battle-sharpened instincts tingled in the back of her head. Something was very wrong.

Jay looked behind him in time to see a mass of black level a pistol in her direction. Her entire body moved on its own, grabbing the man in front of her by his jacket and pushing him to the side. The crack of gunfire sent a white-hot searing pain through Jay's side. Her aura crackled, deflecting the bullet into a brick wall. Jay's back hit the concrete hard, her hands clutching the spot where the bullet hit.

She forced herself up and unclipped Hydra Spike from her belt, extending it to its full length. The cloaked figure fired again and Jay moved with the speed to match his shots. The concrete behind her splintered and cracked as each bullet missed its mark.

Jay dropped the blade of her staff against the ground as she broke into a full sprint. The razor-sharp edge of the blade producing sparks against the rough, jagged ground. She pulled the blade up in a swipe. The shower of sparks rained down on the cloaked figure, leaving him to stumble back as he tried to brush off the thousands of tiny glowing particles. Jay brought the blunt end of her staff around and thrusted forward.

The staff caught the figure in the jaw. Jay heard a sick crack come from the blow with a muffled groan. Jay spun in place and swung her staff low, taking the man's feet out from under him. The pistol fell from his hand and Jay seized the chance to kick it away.

The cloaked man swung his foot out to try to catch her off guard. Jay raised her boot and stomped the man's leg into the ground mid-swing. A grunt of pain left the cloak's hood as he tried to crawl away. Jay raised her staff and stabbed the blade through the man's cloak and the ground underneath. She pulled her fist back and knocked him out with a swift swing.

Jay pulled her staff free, reverting it back to its inert form and buckling it to her belt. She grimaced and poked the tender spot where the bullet struck her. A fierce burst of fire ran up and down her side, forcing a hiss from her throat. Her aura vibrated across her body, just barely managing to stay together.

_Yeah, that's gonna leave a bruise…_

Jay looked around the cramped alley and frowned. The chauffeur was nowhere to be found. She was too busy fighting off her assailant that she never noticed him slink away.

She turned her attention back to the man lying in front of her. The black cloak was all too familiar. Jay reached down and pulled his hood up, revealing a plain white mask with sweeping black eyes.

_You gotta be kidding me. This has to be a joke,_ she thought to herself. The rotten feeling she had felt before had blown into full-blown panic. A repeat attack against her and her team, the attacker wearing the same clothes, it all fell together too perfectly. The anxiety of it made her nauseous.

Her apprehension jumped ten-fold. Ritch was led down here, and there was a cloaked man standing guard. That was all Jay could think as she bolted down the alley, fishing her scroll out of her back pocket. She dialed a quick series of numbers before raising it to her ear. The scroll ringed twice, and then Spriggan's soft voice came through

"Jay? Is something wrong?" she asked. Jay stopped and peeked around the corner.

"I think something happened to Ritch. Where are you?" she asked. She could hear Spriggan hesitate from the other end.

"I'm in Beacon's courtyard with Tephra. Wh-what's wrong? What do you mean something's happened to Ritch?" she asked with noticeable worry.

"Someone has him. I don't know who, but I have an idea. I think…I think it might be the same people from before. The girl from initiation," Jay said. She ran down the alley and came to a stop when she reached a dead end. Cursing under her breath, Jay turned around and headed into another direction.

"What? That's impossible. How can they…" Spriggan trailed off. Jay didn't have an answer for it either. Infiltrating Beacon grounds was one thing, but being able to stalk them to the point where they could set a trap was another.

"Listen, you need to get down to Vale now. If these really are the same people that attacked us, there's no telling what they're going to do to Ritch," Jay commanded. She pulled the scroll away from her ear and pressed a button at the corner of her screen, "I'm activating the GPS tracker in my scroll. Get here as soon as possible."

"O-Okay, Jay. We're on our way. Please be careful," Spriggan said.

"I will," Jay cut the line and descended down a small flight of stairs, coming to a stop when she heard the faint muffled sounds of voices. She pressed her back against the brick wall and came to a stop in from of a slightly open door. She peered through the crack, catching sight of a long hallway lit by dying lightbulbs. The voices were coming in more clear as Jay pulled the door open and stepped inside.

"You're trying my patience, Dorado."

"Ugh…what a shame…giving…giving up already?"

Jay stalked the halls, staying low and fast with a hand on her staff. Her eyes scanned from left to right, wary for any lingering guards. The yellow lights that hung overhead casted long, shadowy fingers in every direction.

She came to a stop in front of a set of double doors and pressed her ear against the cold metal. A constant humming noise reverberated from the other end. Placing a hand on the door's curved knob, Jay pushed against the door just enough so that she could see inside.

The room was massive, a stark contrast to the claustrophobic hall she was in. To the right were windows that stretched from the floor to the high ceiling. Industrial lights hanged below an ascended catwalk structure, bleeding a pristine white light over the entire area. A large portion of the room was taken up by two ancient turbines, the source of the constant humming.

And standing center stage was Ritch, tied to a chair with his sword thrown aside. His lips were bloodied and an angry red line streaked from his forehead down to his temple. Behind him was the last person Jay wanted to see. The girl that attacked her during initiation had her sword drawn, the black blade dropping a thin trickle of blood onto the tiled floor.

Jay gritted her teeth. It took every ounce of willpower not to burst into the room. She watched the girl circle around Ritch to face him and back handed him across his bruised cheek. Ritch grunted from the pain, but glared daggers at the women in front of him.

"You wanna know about my team so bad? Fine," he said. He sat straight up and threw a mocking look at Hecate, "Spriggan's hair is actually brown."

"You can back talk as much as you want, but you and I both know it's not going to last," the woman said. Ritch coughed and spit out a fine red mist, his eyes turning back to her.

"Why don't you untie me? Then we'll see," he replied. Hecate closed a hand around his neck, gags desperately leaving his throat. A burning frenzy of anger exploded in Jay's chest. Her mouth twisted into a rabid snarl. She shoved the door open, extending her staff to its full length.

"How about hitting someone who can fight back?!" she shouted in a scathing tone. Hecate looked over her shoulder, a scowl growing on her face. She let go of Ritch and drew her other blade.

"I knew you would group together like rats. It didn't help you before. It won't help you now," she replied. Jay raised her staff and bent her knees, her eyes narrowing into slits of blue and her teeth set to a dangerous grind.

Jay moved in a sudden dash to Hecate's left side, thrusting her blade out as she passed her. Hecate ducked under the swipe with ease, twirling her swords in a mocking display. Jay jumped back at her and chopped in a downward swipe. Hecate caught it between her crossed blades. Just as she prepared a counter attack, a loud bang echoed in the massive room.

The blade of Jay's staff fired off, freeing itself from Hecate's swords. Jay spun on one foot and shot the other forward, kicking Hecate away. She raised the staff over her head and twirled it around herself. The chained blade flailed wildly like a whip. Jay lashed the whip towards her, the blade coursed through the air in the blink of an eye. Hecate rolled out of its way only for the blade to come back around and slash across her stomach.

Jay charged forward and jumped into the air, spinning herself and her chain whip like a cartwheel. Hecate tried to deflect the onslaught of attacks but the end of Jay's whip weaved past her swords each time, striking her arms and body and chipping away at her aura.

Hecate snarled. The chain came out her again, but she was prepared. As the chained blade came back around, Hecate thrusted her sword towards it, the chain wrapping around it. Hecate pulled with all her strength. Jay's eyes went wide as she was suddenly lifted off her feet and thrown right at Hecate. She charged Jay head on, tackling the girl to the ground. She stabbed her blades downwards as Jay leaned to the side, the blades missing her by inches. Jay pulled her elbow back and smashed it against Hecate's mask.

A sharp shattering noise filled the tense silence. Jagged white shards flew through the air. Hecate pushed herself away from Jay, her hand covering the right side of her cracked mask. Jay stood up and reeled the blade of her staff back, watching as Hecate pulled her hand away to reveal a bright orange eye underneath.

"Not so tough now, are ya?" Jay mocked her. Hecate raised her blades, holding one sword over the other like scissors. Jay spun her staff in both hands, making a surprise swipe that Hecate parried and followed up with flurry of slashes.

Metal grinded against metal. Hecate and Jay danced around each other, their weapons moving with graceful motions. A shower of sparks washed over the both of them each time their weapons connected with each other. Jay twirled her staff vertically, blocking Hecate's sword slashes. She pirouetted on her toes and swung Hydra Spike outwards

Hecate stopped it dead in its track with one sword and struck it down with the other. She dashed forward and smashed her head against Jay's. Grabbing the girl by the collar as her head flung back, Hecate pulled her forward to head-butt her again.

Jay stumbled backwards, hands over her face. Hecate took her chance and charged her, dropping down into a slide. Her arm reached out and took Jay's feet out from under her. Hecate followed her momentum and jumped up, turned around, and kicked Jay mid-air with tremendous force, smashing her into a nearby wall.

Jay forced herself to her feet, bracing a hand against the wall. Hecate rammed her shoulder into Jay's gut and pressed her arm against Jay's throat. Jay aimed her staff downwards and fired, the blade shooting out and colliding with Hecate's shin.

Hecate doubled over, clutching her leg. Jay grabbed the sides of her hood and threw her knee towards Hecate's face. The cloaked woman dropped her swords and grabbed Jay's leg, throwing her across the room.

Jay rolled to a stop in front of Ritch. She stood up only for one of Hecate's swords to hit her in her chest, the other striking her cheek and sending her into a spin.

Jay's aura seared throughout her body. She barely had time to recover before Hecate slashed through her aura, shattering it like glass. A burning agony poured from her wound and she felt a warm sensation spread through her stomach. Jay placed a hand over the gash, growling as she lifted it away to see bright red gleaming on her palm.

"Are you alright?" Ritch asked behind her, struggling with his bonds. Jay lifted her staff, never breaking eye contact with Hecate.

"I'll live," she said through gritted teeth. She glanced back at Ritch, noticing the thick ropes that kept his hands bound. Jay pulled her blade back to cut him free until Hecate kicked her in the stomach. The smack against her bleeding stomach sent spikes of pain through her body. She had to force herself not to vomit as she choked out a lungful of air.

Hecate threw Jay to the floor. She tried to push herself back up, but felt a fist smash against her cheek. Jay's head bounced off the ground hard. She didn't try to get back up.

Ritch yanked on the ropes binding his wrist. The rough fiber cut into his skin, making his wrists raw as he twisted and pulled. He watched helplessly as Hecate stood over Jay, grabbing her by the nape of her neck and lifting up her entire upper body. A stream of red trickled from Jay's forehead, dripping down the side of her face.

Hecate forced Jay to her knees, facing Ritch. She drew one blade across Jay's throat and grabbed a fistful of her hair.

"You've been a pain in my side for too long, Jay," Hecate sneered. She tightened her grip on her sword and pulled. Jay's skin tore underneath her swipe.

An intense heat suddenly overwhelmed her. Her black cloak was consumed with a maelstrom of fire. Her swords fell from her hands as she tried desperately the pat out the flames. Jay fell back to the ground, her hand wrapping around her neck.

Hecate turned to face the new attacker and barely dodged another incoming fireball. At the doorway stood Tephra, hand outstretched with a cloud of red dust swirling around her fingers. She scowled and charged Hecate with her shield drawn. Behind her, Spriggan ran for Ritch, keeping her axe at her side.

Hecate side-stepped the wide arcs of Tephra's shield. Each swipe came closer and closer to hitting her. Tephra closed in on Hecate, jumping into the air and coming back down with a hard swing. Hecate rushed forward, the shield falling behind her as Tephra landed the attack a few inches short.

Tephra had no time to react before Hecate drilled a fist into her stomach followed by an open palm strike to the face. Tephra stepped back, raising her shield in front of her. A cloud of ice dust gathered around her hand. She pulled it back and prepared to thrust it forward until a loud snap hit her shield. Tephra pulled Cain Circle down and froze in place. A dart clung to her shield, beeping rapidly.

Tephra barely had a chance to gather her aura. The dart detonated in a fiery explosion. The tremendous force knocked Tephra off her feet and skidding across the ground. She tried to push herself up until Hecate drove her foot into Tephra's gut. Her lungs burned, sending spikes of pain up and down her body. She collapsed to the ground, writhing and holding her stomach.

Spriggan reached Ritch and slashed her axe through the ropes. Ritch pulled himself free and grabbed his sword, "Take care of Jay. I'll deal with this."

Spriggan knelt down next to Jay and cradled her head in her arms. Panic rose in her chest. A jagged, but shallow stroke of red ran across Jay's throat and she could feel the blood leaving Jay's head and going through her gloves. Spriggan placed a hand over Jay's forehead, her body growing warm as her aura travelled to Jay's beaten body. A wave of relief washed over her when the cut across Jay's neck sealed itself and healed.

A hand seized Spriggan's wrist. Jay stirred in her grasp. Her eyes opened just enough to look around. A low hiss escaped her lips as she tried to sit upright.

"Jay, are you alright?" Spriggan asked. A sharp pain speared through Jay's head, making it difficult to think straight.

Her aura's barriers were shot. What little energy she had left was being supplied by Spriggan. She could hear Ritch fighting off Hecate from what felt like miles away. She urged her body to move, but every attempt was met with white-hot agony.

"M-More…" she managed to say. Above her, Spriggan furrowed her brow. Jay's blurred gaze turned to her with a wry frown, "As much aura as you can spare."

Spriggan nodded and placed her hand over the gash on Jay's forehead. An ethereal glow radiated from her glove, replacing the stinging pain with a fresh surge of warmth. The steady trickle of blood came to a slow stop.

Ritch parried an incoming slash and followed up with a hard knee that Hecate blocked. She spun her swords into a reverse grip and unleashed a devastating flurry of attacks. She feigned an attack and brought her momentum into a forward roll. She kicked out into Ritch's shin, knocking him off balance. Hecate planted a hand onto the ground and launched the same foot upwards, smashing it into his chin.

Ritch was hurled into the air as Hecate rolled her feet. She thrusted her swords as Ritch came back down, the strike throwing him into a turbine. He slid to the ground, groaning in pain.

Hecate turned around to face Jay and Spriggan. Both girls had their weapons raised. Hecate lowered her swords, her voice dropping into a threatening tone.

"Don't make this any harder on yourself," she said. Jay shook her head.

"What are you getting out of this? Why bother attacking?" Jay asked.

"You're wasting your time if you think you can get any answers out of me," Hecate said. Her swords poised themselves in position as she glared at them with her one visible eye, "Last chance."

"Think we can take her?" Jay said through haggard breaths. Spriggan didn't immediately answer. She looked to her side to see Ritch still groaning and Tephra crumpled on the floor. With Jay's aura dangerously low and her own diminished to compensate for it, their odds of winning weren't high.

"No," she said.

"What? What are we supposed to do then?" Jay asked her.

"We run. There's no point in sticking around," Spriggan said. Jay scowled and dug her heels into the ground.

"She's attacking us again, Sprig! We need answers and we're looking at the only person that can give them," Jay said.

"Jay, please. Think about your team," Spriggan reasoned.

"After what she did, I'd be stupid not to," Jay replied. Without warning, Jay charged ahead. Hecate effortlessly blocked her attack and sweeped her foot, knocking Jay back on the ground. Jay could barely blink before Hecate slammed a boot against her neck.

"You're all too proud for your own good," she said. Jay wrapped her fingers around Hecate's ankle, only encouraging her to press harder. A guttural choking noise left Jay's throat, her nails clawing into Hecate's boot.

"Let her go, now!" Spriggan shouted.

"I have a better idea," Hecate said. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Ritch and Tephra rising to their feet, "Drop your weapons and surrender."

"Let's just attack at the same time. She can't hold all three of us off," Tephra said.

"Don't even think about it," Hecate snapped her fingers. Several clicking noises echoed above them. Spriggan followed the noise, her eyes widening when she saw five men in cloaks on the catwalks above them, assault rifles in hand.

Hecate watched the realization dawn on their faces. She looked down at Jay as she continued to struggle under her heel. Hecate swung her free foot out and stepped on Jay's golden arm, keeping it still as she raised her sword over it.

"You have a choice to make, Huntsmen. Fight and die in vain or make yourselves useful for once and surrender," She said. She stared at Spriggan and narrowed her eyes, "Maybe this will act as an incentive."

Hecate thrusted her sword down. The tip of her blade impaled Jay's hand. Ritch and Tephra winced as Jay screamed a blood-curdling cry. Hecate twisted the blade, her eyes never breaking from Spriggan's.

Jay's cries died down. Her shouts of pain were replaced with a low laugh. Hecate lowered her gaze to find the girl wearing a smirk, "Just kidding."

Jay's irises glowed a bright blue. Hecate was suddenly thrown off her feet as a gust of air tossed her aside. Jay pulled the sword in her hand free, sparks flying out from the puncture in her mechanical hand. Hecate rose to her feet and noticed the wisps of blue smoke leaving Jay's body.

_Her Semblance…_

Without hesitation, she snapped her fingers again. The clicks of assault rifles forced Jay into action. Her aura coursed through her body as she slammed her palm down. A thick cloud of smoke engulfed her body and shot out from all sides as a hailstorm of bullets rained down on her. The never ending torrent of lead was deafening.

The smoke spread out in every direction, filling every inch of the room. Hecate couldn't see her own hand in front of her face. The gunfire above her stopped. The room was dead silent. She looked in every direction but saw nothing except the same blue mist. She waved the smoke away from her until she could see the room clearly.

It was empty. Her four targets were replaced with holes in the floor and a few spots of blood. She turned towards the only door in the room and noticed it wide open. Her teeth grinded together as she growled like a mad Beowolf.

"Find them. Now!"

…

"We barely got out of there alive," Tephra muttered, pressing her back against a brick wall. Next to her, Ritch sheathed his sword and ran a hand over his sweat soaked hair.

"Jay? Jay!"

Tephra and Ritch turned to see their leader on her hands and knees, the thin tendrils of smoke still leaving her body. Spriggan was by her side, trying to raise her to her feet.

"I-I'm fine, Sprig. Just a little winded is all," she said as she got up. Her knees almost buckled under her weight. Spriggan wrapped an arm around Jay's waist to keep her still. She looked to the others in her team as she slid Jay's arm around her shoulder.

"We have to get back to the academy. We all need medical attention," she said. Jay gave a weak nod. Her entire body felt like it was on the verge of breaking down. She leaned into Spriggan, placing a hand over her own face.

The walk back to Beacon was filled with silence. Nobody dared to say a thing, but everyone was on their guard. Ritch kept a hand on his sword and Tephra coated her gloves with dust. Jay kept herself in Spriggan's grasp, her feet dragging themselves behind her. Her chest was clenched, her breathing quick and shallow.

It happened again. They were attacked out of nowhere and she nearly died for the second time. It wasn't just one person either.

She had to do something. She wasn't going to just roll over and die. She had to fight back. They all knew what would happen if they didn't.

It was her responsibility. It was her duty to keep her team safe. She had to see it through no matter what. Even if it meant she would die for it.


	7. Old Scars

**Alright, hello! Took a bit of doing, but now I got this out for you all. Thanks for the support you guys have given me in the mean time. You guys rock! And roll. **

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Chapter 7: Old Scars

Jay stared at the beige ceiling of her dorm, a miserable frown on her face. Her fingers drummed against the thick bandages wrapped around her stomach. Her injuries were healing just fine. It wouldn't be long before she was up and about again. According to Beacon's doctors, her wounds were mild considering how much damage she had taken. All she needed now was rest.

She knew it was good news. She should have been happy knowing she'd live to see another day. But she wasn't. If anything, she was feeling an overwhelming sense of dread. That woman took away any sense of safety she had.

She took another scan out of the dorm from sheer boredom. Each of their beds was placed in a different corner of the room, an impromptu move on her team's part to maximize space in the otherwise small dorm.

Jay rose from her bed, hunching forward to pull the covers off her body. She couldn't waste time trying to get better. She had to do something, anything to take her mind off of what happened. Her feet touched the carpet and immediately she heard someone clear her throat to her right.

"Goin' somewhere, Chief?" Tephra asked. Jay froze, her eyes glued to the wall in front of her. Tephra was sitting on her bed in the opposite side of the room, her finger hovering over her scroll, "If you're thinking of sneaking out, don't bother. I'd hate to sic Daisy on my team leader."

"Sprig doesn't have to know, Tephra. I can make it worth your while if you look the other way," Jay said. Tephra's Faunus ears twitched.

"What do you mean _look_ the other way?" Tephra said, her voice dropping to a dangerous tone. Jay bit her tongue.

"I-I didn't mean it like that, Tephra. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," Jay spouted. Tephra furrowed her brow then broke into a maniacal giggle.

"Jeez, you guys get so uptight about it. I got Golden Boy the exact same way on the first day of school," she teased as she got out of bed. Jay rolled her eyes. She hobbled towards the door until Tephra grabbed her by the hem of her tank top and pushed her back.

"Not gonna happen, Chief. Be a good girl and get back to bed. Daisy's gonna be back in a sec and if you're not resting, she's gonna have your hide," Tephra said.

"Which is why I'm saying Sprig doesn't have to know about it. I'm just going for a walk. Quick in and out and she won't even know I was gone," Jay said. Tephra didn't release her hold on Jay despite her struggling.

Tephra sighed and extended her finger. A sudden intense chill erupted against Jay's neck, making her cringe and back away. A thick layer of ice coated Tephra's finger.

"Bad girl. Back to bed," Tephra said as she pushed Jay towards her bed. Every time she tried to resist, Tephra stuck her ice-covered finger against her neck, "Tsst, tsst."

"Tephra! I'm not a dog! Stop with the- ack!"

"Tsst!" Tephra stuck her finger behind Jay's ear. Jay fell back into her bed, flailing her arms to bat away Tephra's icy pokes. The door swung open and Spriggan entered the room with Ritch in tow, both carrying plastic bags in their hands.

"What…is going on?" Ritch asked. Tephra finally relented and stepped back from Jay, waving her finger in the air.

"Chief tried to get smart with me and sneak out without you knowing. Pretty easy to get her to back off, though. Next time you should just get me a spray bottle," she said. Jay shot Tephra a glare. Spriggan put her bags down on the counter. She pulled out the groceries one by one, checking each one off a mental check list.

"Jay, I told you to stay in bed. What if you aggravated your injuries walking around? You'd be stuck in bed even longer," Spriggan said. Jay crossed her arms and leaned back against the headboard of her bed. Her insides felt like they were on fire, but she knew better than to tell them that.

Spriggan walked over to her and held her a plastic tray of painkillers and a glass of water. Jay reluctantly took it and downed a couple of pills before following up with a large gulp of water.

"I can't help it, Sprig. With everything that's going on, how can I rest? I can't. Not when I know that there's someone out there trying to hurt us," Jay said. Spriggan sat down at the foot of Jay's bed. She took Jay's empty glass and set it aside.

Tephra and Ritch exchanged glances. Both of them nodded to each other and gathered next to Jay's bed. Tephra bent down and flicked Jay on the forehead, "Chief, we're here for a reason, you know? It's obvious something is going on. Just give the word and we'll start solving this thing in no time."

Ritch nodded and crossed his arms. Jay looked between all of them and smiled."So it's settled then. We're all going to get to the bottom of this," she said. Spriggan gave an affirmative nod.

"So it's settled then. We're all going to get to the bottom of this," she said. Spriggan gave an affirmative nod.

"So…any ideas on how we go about catching these people?" she asked. Everyone exchanged glances with each other. Jay's confident aura faltered with every second that passed.

"No ideas, huh?" she asked, disheartened. Ritch frowned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I…have an idea. As much as I hate to admit it," he said. All eyes turned to him. Ritch crossed his arms and grimaced, "The guy who lured me into their trap. I know him."

"Dude in the yellow jacket, right? I ran into him on my way to find you. I tried to get him to cough up where you were before one of those cloaked guys got in the way. He managed to run off while I was distracted," Jay said. Ritch nodded, rubbing his temples.

"He works for someone. A guy named Mr. Pyrite," he said. An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Finally, Spriggan tilted her head in confusion.

"Who is this Mr. Pyrite? Is it someone you know?" she asked. Ritch wringed his hands.

"Kind of. He's…well he's an arms dealer. You know, the kind of people that sell illegal guns on the black market. He deals in other stuff too. Racketeering, dust smuggling, scams, anything that'll earn him a quick buck," Ritch said. Jay leaned back into the headrest of her bed, raising a brow.

"Why does a guy like you know someone like that?" she asked. At her question, Ritch lowered his gaze like a guilty child. The simple gesture was enough for everyone to put two and two together.

"You worked with him, didn't you?" Spriggan asked, making a conscious effort not to accuse him of anything. Ritch stared out the window, his answer pouring out of him like a flood.

"I didn't have much choice. We weren't well off, my family and I. We still aren't. Mr. Pyrite is the only reason why I'm here now. But for everything he gave me, he took something in return. An internship he called it, made me do all kinds of things for him," Ritch rubbed his arm, a shamed expression on his face. Spriggan took a step closer to him, her voice consoling.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly did you do?" she asked.

"He had me steal from dust shops in the middle of the day and run them through the sewer to dead drops. In exchange, he'd give me a cut of what he made. We never met in person back then. So if I ever got caught, he would never be implicated. It'd just be another instance of a kid putting his hand where it doesn't belong," Ritch said. Jay crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes.

"He used you as his scapegoat? Are you kidding me?" she said angrily, "…jackwad."

Spriggan stroked her chin, nodding to herself in thought, "There are disturbing implications. If that man who helped kidnap you is working for this Mr. Pyrite, is it possible that these cloaked people do as well? Taking it even farther, is it possible that this whole ordeal is because of-"

"No! I've been careful to stay on Mr. Pyrite's good side. There's no reason he'd send those people after me," Ritch said. Jay nodded in agreement.

"He's got a point, Sprig. They attacked us first, before we ever met Ritch. Still, this Mr. Pyrite is involved somehow. We just got to figure out how," Jay turned to Ritch, pointing a finger in his direction, "Think you can get a hold of him?"

"Yeah, no doubt. I just…have reservations about going to him," Ritch said.

"We don't have much of a choice. Whatever price we have to pay, it'll be nothing compared to the price we'll pay if that girl gets another chance at attacking us. We have to do it. Even if it means dealing with that scumbag, Pyrite," Jay said. Silence fell in the room. Each one of them studied the information, until Spriggan broke the quiet.

"Wait, if you've never met him in person, how are we going to get in contact with him?" she asked. Ritch's downcast expression turned into one of surprise. He rubbed his arm, trying to come up with an acceptable excuse.

"Well I didn't meet him when I was a kid, but I managed to…look it doesn't matter. Trust me, I know how to get in touch with him." He said. Jay raised a brow but said nothing. They had a lead now. There was no point in looking a gift horse in the mouth. Ritch looked towards the door, his hands curling into fists, "I'm going to the library. I'll see if I can arrange something with their holographic communication consoles."

Spriggan perked up, turning to Tephra, "Why don't you go with him, Tephra? I'm sure he could use the help."

"Why would I do that?" she asked. Jay watched with suspicion as Spriggan whispered something in Tephra's ear. A devilish smirk spread across her face. Jay felt the familiar sensation of being in danger gnaw at the back of her mind.

"Well, I guess helping out Golden Boy would be a good idea. I'll catch you guys later," Tephra said. Her wide grin never left her face. She followed Ritch out the door and dragged a thumb across her throat before shutting the door.

Jay felt a chill run down her spine. Spriggan went out of her way to convince Tephra to leave them alone. That only meant one thing to her.

She watched with peculiar interest. Spriggan paced back and forth in the center of the room, a mix of different emotions flashing across her face, too fast for her to recognize. Spriggan opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She shut it and kept walking.

"Well, if you don't mind, Sprig, I'm going to go get some exercise. See you la-"

"Sit. Down. Now."

The chilling tone in Spriggan's voice froze Jay solid. She collapsed back into her bed and pulled the sheets back up.

Spriggan turned to face her with her arms crossed. The mix of emotions on her face was gone, leaving only one that Jay didn't expect to see: disappointment.

"Jay, we need to have a talk. A serious one," Spriggan said. The tone in her voice wasn't angry or frustrated. She sounded tired more than anything.

Spriggan came to the side of her bed. The remorse in her face didn't waver, making Jay even more anxious, "I'm going to get straight to the point. What you did, attacking that girl when I told you not to, was extremely stupid."

Jay stared at her with a dumbstruck expression. She had known Spriggan for a long time, but she never heard her say something like that. She leaned forward to speak, but Spriggan sliced a hand through the air, cutting her off.

"Don't give me any lip about you getting us out of there anyways. That isn't the point. You put yourself in danger and nearly died for it. Jay, I understand that you want to protect us, but you shouldn't be throwing your life away so recklessly," Spriggan said. Jay shrunk underneath her words. The heel of her palm drilled a hole into the bed as if that would be enough to escape Spriggan's scolding.

"Sprig, I don't really understand the need for this. I made one mistake," Jay threw her arms out wide.

"It's not that you made a mistake, Jay. You deliberately ignored me and nearly died for it," Spriggan replied.

"But I didn't die. I got us all out of there. Why are we talking about this?" Jay asked.

"Because we _need _to talk about this. Jay, I don't like having this discussion, but for everyone's sake I have to," Spriggan said.

"But there's nothing to talk about. Nothing bad happened. That one little screw up didn't kill me," Jay said. Spriggan looked her dead in the eye. Her expression turned serious.

"This time, Jay. It didn't kill you this time. But you and I both know one little screw up is enough for the worst to happen," She said. Jay crossed her arms.

"Aren't you being a little dramatic? I'm not made of glass, Sprig. A few hits aren't gonna put me in a morgue," she said.

"No, but you came close," Spriggan said, pointing at the bandages wrapped around Jay's waist. Jay glared at her and buried her face underneath his pillow. Spriggan sat down next to her, but she still refused to pull her pillow away. The scalding tone in Spriggan's voice softened as she took a deep sigh. She ran her fingers through her hair, "I just don't want you to get hurt. You know how I hate feeling helpless."

Jay's eyes peeked out, a hint of guilt in them. She knew where Spriggan's hatred of helplessness came from. She still remembered the pain in Spriggan's eyes from two years ago. The pain of losing her mother. She sat up, scooting to Spriggan's side, "Yeah, I do. You were sick like her, Sprig."

"I couldn't do anything then. But I can now," Spriggan said. She looked to Jay, a spark of sadness shone in her eyes, "Please, just take it easy, Jay. And be more mindful about what you're doing. If we're going after these people, we need to be careful."

Jay gave her a small smile. She placed her metal hand over Spriggan's own, giving it a gentle squeeze. Spriggan smiled, intertwining her fingers with Jay's. It still amazed her how smooth Jay's palm was. It felt as if she was holding onto the real thing, "Might want to fix that hole too. Priorities."

Jay pulled away. She curled her fingers to test their flexibility. The hand's movements were slow and it took more energy to even move them by an inch, "Busted the servos. Wire skeleton must be damaged too. Great, this'll take forever to fix."

Jay looked over her hand. She ran a finger along the puncture, wincing as jagged metal dug into her skin. She heard Spriggan reach under her bed and set a metal briefcase down next to her. Jay gave her an appreciative nod and unlocked the latches, flipping it open.

A mess of electronic wiring, mechanical parts, and well-worn tools were inside. It was Jay's personal kit for whenever she needed to maintain or repair her arm and weapon. She pulled out a soldering pen and set to work on repairing the damage to her hand.

She tried her best to ignore the stinging sensation growing in her shoulder. If she was lucky, the pain would go away with time.

…

Spriggan stared at the other side of the dorm room. Dots of moonlight bled through the drawn curtains. In the darkness, she could barely make out the faint outlines of Ritch and Tephra sound asleep in their beds.

She turned onto her back, sinking into the soft comforter of her own bed. Pulling her scroll out, she checked the time again, groaning in exasperation.

_1:30 in the morning…now I'm the one neglecting my rest._

Spriggan dropped her scroll on the carpet, turning her eyes to the bathroom. A thin streak of light shone under the door. Jay had gone inside, but nearly half an hour had gone by since then. Not a sound had left the room. With everything that had happened, Spriggan couldn't help but be worried.

She clutched the edges of her blanket once she heard the door unlock. She shut her eyes, listening intently to Jay stumbling outside the bathroom and into her bed. Seconds ticked on by in silence. A minute passed, then two.

Then she heard it. A quiet, pained whimper.

Her entire body tensed in a fit of nerves. She was almost positive that it came from Jay. She jumped out of her bed and hurried to Jay's side.

She looked awful. Beads of sweat covered her forehead. Her skin was pale and her body shivered as she bit her lip to keep from crying out.

Her eyes were shut tight. She didn't notice Spriggan until she reached out and pulled her covers away. Jay was cradling her prosthetic in her other arm, her fists clenched firm. She cracked her eyes open. The pain on her face was unmistakable. Jay curled into a ball, shaking her head as another sob racked her body.

"Oh, Jay," Spriggan whispered. She rubbed the prosthetic with tender care. It had been months since Jay had to deal with her phantom pains, but it didn't make it any easier on her.

Spriggan hurried out into the dorm halls and soon came back with a bag of ice. Sliding a gentle hand between Jay's arms, she took hold of her artificial limb. She flicked a few magnetic locks where metal met flesh until a low hiss filled the room. Giving the limb a small twist, the arm went limp.

Jay's prosthetic came off, leaving the stump that stopped just below her shoulder. A metal plate with a complicated array of electronics sat at its end, the port where Jay's nervous system sent signals to control the arm. Spriggan placed her hand against it, forcing another desperate cry from her. She could feel the heat radiating from the severed nerve endings that used to go down Jay's real arm.

"It's okay. You're going to be fine," Spriggan pressed the bag of ice against the stump. Jay hissed but didn't pull away. Her features softened, her eyes opening all the way. Spriggan met her gaze and gave her a supportive smile. Jay rarely said anything during her phantom pains. It was one of the few times where she looked vulnerable. Curled up and holding her arms close to her chest, she looked like a small child.

Spriggan ran her fingers along Jay's scalp to soothe her. Jay sighed, a flicker of discomfort flashing on her face. There was only so much Spriggan could do. Ice was enough to keep the pain down, but all she could do for now was be there for her.

"Th-thanks," Jay mumbled. Spriggan nodded and pressed the bag of ice with a small amount of force, eliciting a soft sigh from Jay.

"Don't mention it," Spriggan said, "I told you I didn't want to see you hurt, didn't I?"

The corner of Jay's lip rose slightly, her eyes fluttering closed. Spriggan sat next to her in silence as the night went on. She couldn't help but smile as Jay slowly drifted off to sleep.

When she first met Jay in Signal, she was already missing her arm. It was strange to her, but eventually she got used to it. As the years went on and as Spriggan grew closer to her, the two would share everything with each other, including how Jay had lost her arm. Spriggan couldn't help but admire her for it. She had been through more than a child her age should have. But she came out stronger for it. Spriggan couldn't help but admire her for that.

Their friendship was something the Spriggan valued dearly. Which was why she stayed by Jay's side no matter what. Whether by watching her back in combat or by simply giving her some comfort when she was in pain, she was determined to protect her.

After what felt like hours, she turned back to Jay and smiled again. She was in a peaceful sleep, her soft breathing breaking the silence. Spriggan pulled the bag of ice away and stood up, pulling the blankets up to Jay's shoulders. She watched her for a moment longer before brushing a lock of hair from Jay's face.

"Goodnight, Jay."

…

It was subtle at first. It was distant, incessant noise like a finger tapping against wood. Then it grew louder and louder, the tapping faster and faster. Until it felt like a war drum was beating against her ear.

A violent force forced Jay awake. Her body jolted as she gasped, her limbs pulling themselves in on herself as she faced down the person responsible for waking her up.

"Wake up, Chief. Can't have you sleeping in. We'll all look bad," Tephra said, her knuckles hovering over the nightstand she was knocking against. She was dressed in her uniform, with the outer coat unbuttoned and the ribbon hanging around her neck. Jay blinked the sleep out of her eyes, her awareness of her surroundings coming back to her.

Spriggan was sitting in front of a small desk between her bed and Jay's, brushing away at her hair. She watched Jay out of the corner of her eye with an impish grin.

"Good morning, Jay. You look like you slept well," she said. Jay glared at her then back at Tephra. She clambered out of bed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

She looked to her left, noticing her prosthetic was missing. She scanned the room until she saw it sitting on her nightstand. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Jay grabbed it and re-attached it to her stump. A small click was followed with the arm locking itself into place. Her metal fingers came alive, shooting out before relaxing. A warm feeling radiated from the port as the artificial nerves synchronized with her commands.

After going through the usual routine of getting her hair under control and putting on her uniform, Jay shuffled towards the door while stuffing her scroll into her uniform pocket.

A finger tapped her shoulder, prompting her to turn around. Ritch stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Jay, I need to talk to you. In private," he said. Jay nodded and pulled the door open wide enough for the both of them. Ritch shut it closed behind him. The pair walked a few steps away from their dorm until Jay spun around, keeping her voice low to avoid any attention from the other students shuffling through the dorm at this hour.

"What's the matter? You look a little off," she said. Ritch's features tightened. He took small paces back and forth as if he was waging an internal struggle and losing. He came to a stop and planted a hand against the wall.

"I called up Pyrite. That guy, the one who tricked me, his hands aren't the least bit clean. He skimmed money off of Pyrite's revenue stream and tried to run off. Of course, Pyrite found out and had him locked up," Ritch said.

"Well that's a good thing, right? He's not going anywhere so we can just waltz right in and bag him," Jay said. Ritch stayed silent, but it was enough for Jay to find her own answer.

"He's not going to let us see him?" she asked in disbelief. Ritch nodded.

"He says it's an internal affair and for my peace of mind, I should let him handle it. But…he's willing to spare us ten minutes alone with the guy if we go on an…errand for him," Ritch explained. Jay raised a brow and shrugged.

"Okay, what's so bad about that? We'll just do what the guy says," she said. Ritch hesitated. His shoulders sunk and he refused to make eye contact with her. He turned his body slightly as he spoke.

"Jay…I know Mr. Pyrite. If he wants us to do something, it probably won't be legal. If things go bad, losing our chance to talk to the guy will be the least of our worries," Ritch said. Jay paused. They were taking an awful lot of risk for what was essentially a longshot. Not to mention the very real chance of being arrested if they were caught. She pondered over his words, a pinch of anxiety worming its way into her thoughts.

"We have to do it. We'll be fine as long as we work together," Jay said with a shake of her head. Whether she was trying to convince Ritch or to herself, she wasn't sure. Ritch looked back towards the door to their room, his hand reaching up to straighten his tie.

"I'll follow your lead then. We're going to meet with Mr. Pyrite tomorrow by midnight. He'll give us the full explanation then. And he'll tell us what exactly we'll be doing," Ritch said. Jay rolled her eyes, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I await the moment with bated breath," she muttered. She fished out her scroll and saw '8:45' blinking in the corner of the screen. A heavy groan eked out of her throat. Jay's hand reached up and pressed itself into Ritch's shoulder, pushing him further and further down the hall, "Come on, Ritch. We have Professor Goodwitch and you know how scary she gets when you're late to class."

Ritch turned his back to her but he still found himself being shoved away. Jay wanted to make sure he wouldn't notice the pensive expression on her face.

They were gambling everything. Working with an arms dealer, one that her own team member works for, was just asking for trouble. She was trained to fight Grimm, monsters that lacked intelligence and reasoning. Not criminals that made their living at the expense of others. She couldn't deny that she was nervous, for more reasons than one.

But she didn't have a choice. Whatever it took to protect her team, she would do it. Even if it meant brushing shoulders with Vale's most violent criminals.


	8. Fool's Gold

**Alright, hello! Thank you guys so much for the support you guys have been throwing my way. I love all your beautiful internet faces. So I worked extra hard to get this chapter out to you guys sooner. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 8: Fool's Gold

Jay looked up and down the deserted dock. Boats of various sizes lined either side, rocking with the gentle waves of the ocean. Ritch told them that this would be the meeting spot, but they were the only ones here. She paced back and forth, the pier's rotting planks groaning under her weight, "It's already midnight. Where the heck is he?"

"I don't think the head honcho is going to meet us here, Chief. Probably one of his goons that's going to do the talking for him," Tephra said from her perch atop an old oil drum. Jay looked out the sea. The horizon was swallowed up by endless waves reflecting silver moonlight. She stopped at the end of the pier and sat down, the waves reaching up and licking the soles of her boots.

The crinkling of the water, the calm breeze of the sea, it was oddly relaxing. Something she needed before throwing herself and her team into the fire. Not a single soul could be seen in the street. This part of the city never had a problem with crime, being filled with reputable citizens who paid top dollar to make sure criminals stayed as far away as possible. Surprisingly, those same criminals were a lot closer than they thought.

Jay craned her head towards the boardwalk and caught sight of a single dot of light gliding across the waves. It grew larger until Jay could make out the outlines of a small boat driving towards them.

"Say hello to the goons, team," Jay muttered, getting up to her feet. The boat parked itself where she sat and the driver stood up, dressed in a yellow suit jacket with a bulletproof vest underneath. Jay didn't fail to notice the butt of a pistol sticking from one of his pockets.

Tephra walked up next to Jay, giving the man a curt nod, "Hello, goon."

The man threw her a sharp glare. Tephra merely shrugged, "Just following orders."

"You the kids that I'm supposed to pick up?" he asked. Jay nodded, turning her attention to the man's other passengers. Three men were seated in the open sitting space with assault rifles resting in their laps.

"You guys really know how make a girl feel welcome," she remarked.

"Pyrite's waiting for you on his yacht. He doesn't like to be kept waiting so get in already," the driver said, tapping his hands against the steering wheel. Jay tossed a glance at the others in her team. Tephra hopped onto the boat without a word, making herself comfortable next to one of the guards. Spriggan followed and took her seat, opting to sit opposite of them.

Jay hopped down and looked up to see Ritch and the driver glaring at each other with daggers in their eyes. Ritch got in and, to her surprise, sat down next to him.

"What did you get yourself wrapped into?" the driver asked with a shake of his head. Ritch ignored him, choosing to look out to the ocean. The engine roared to life, taking them further and further away from Vale. The boat rocked forcefully with each wave it passed.

The shattered moon climbed higher and higher as the City of Vale grew smaller. Wind whipping against her hair, Jay caught sight of a brightly lit ship floating in the calm waters. From a distance, it looked like any other ship, but Jay could see the subtle changes made to it.

The black paint on its hull did a clever job of concealing the guns bolted to it. She didn't fail to notice the cannon hatches either. Combined with the thick steel armor and the myriad of guards patrolling the decks, and it felt more like she was looking at a warship than a luxury yacht.

The boat came to a steady halt at the rear of the ship with two armed guards waiting for them. One watched Jay's team like a hawk while the other spoke in a clear, authoritative voice, "You're going to have to hand over your weapons. Pyrite's orders."

Jay and her team exchanged glances. She could tell what they were all thinking. Turning back to the guard in front of her, she crossed her arms, "I'd feel more comfortable with our weapons. I'm sure Mr. Pyrite can make an exception."

"Not gonna happen. You're lucky enough to even be stepping on his yacht. Either the weapons go or you do."

Jay bit her lip. She was already tense from being surrounded by gun-toting criminals. Every fiber of her being screamed at her not to give up her only means of self-defense.

Ritch brushed past her, Au Helios in hand. He dropped the sword into the man's hand without protest and stepped onto the deck. Spriggan and Tephra did the same, though with a lot less confidence.

The man looked to Jay expectantly. She sighed and reached for her belt, placing Hydra Spike in his open hand. The man deposited it in a nearby crate and shut it tight, adding a padlock and sliding the key in his breast pocket.

"Mr. Pyrite's in his office. Don't keep him waiting," he said. Jay quickly joined the others as they were escorted along the ship's bow. She tried to peek through the windows as they passed, but found them tinted black and instead showing her own reflection.

They came to a stop in front of a pair of double doors. One of the guards banged his fist against the circular window. A series of rapid clicks and grating metal was followed by the door swinging open. They went inside, Jay's face scrunching as the unmistakable scent of Dust assaulted her nostrils.

Counters covered in Dust were sitting on either side, the small granules shimmering in the dim lighting. Some were bottled up in Schnee branded vials and others were left sitting in small piles next to a set of scales.

_They have enough dust to supply a small army. Did they steal all of this?_

Jay didn't have time to entertain the thought. Her team was led down a short flight of stairs, coming to a set of double doors flanked by two more guards. One of them took a hard look at Jay and her team then opened the door.

Jay cautiously stepped inside. The room was small, no bigger than their own dorm room, and washed with a warm wooden interior. Expensive lamps hung over abstract sculptures and paintings. An elegant mahogany desk sat in front of them, neatly organized and not a pen out of place. On the wall behind it was a gold-plated rifle mounted a plaque, not doubt belonging to the man that was sitting before them.

Jay felt uneasy just from looking at him. He was dressed in a sharp pinstripe suit with a yellow tie, his hair neatly combed and trimmed. His clothing made him look like a business man, but his face made him look like a predator. Thin and angular, the wrinkles on his face belied the underlying sharp, green eyes watching her. Like jagged pieces of glass, he cut into her like paper, analyzing her every move as if to strike when she let her guard down.

"I don't believe I've had the honor," he said suddenly. Jay felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as four guards came into the room and locked the doors behind them. Each one took a position in every corner of the room, keeping their hands on their guns, "My name is Mr. Pyrite. I suppose you can consider me as Ritch's benefactor. Please have a seat."

Mr. Pyrite motioned towards the guards. Following his command, they each pulled out a chair in front of his desk. Jay sat down and glanced to the others in her team. Spriggan seemed to share her apprehension, but Tephra and Ritch kept their faces neutral.

"Would you care for a something to eat? Or drink, perhaps? I'm sure with the rigorous training you endure at Beacon, energy has become something of a necessity to you," Mr. Pyrite said in a surprisingly gentle tone. Ritch shook his head.

"We're fine, Mr. Pyrite. Thank you for the offer," he said with as much politeness as he could. Pyrite nodded in understanding. His cold, calculating eyes absorbed every detail about Ritch's companions. Eventually his gaze fell back on Jay, giving her a smile that made her skin crawl.

"And who might you be, young lady?" he asked. Jay sat straight up, returning Pyrite's quizzical look.

"Jay Atlantis. I'm the leader of Team Jetbead," she said. Pyrite cracked a charming smile, leaning back in his leather chair.

"So you hold Ritch's life in your hands? How admirable. I owe you my thanks, young lady," he said. Jay narrowed her eyes. Pyrite was being too friendly. She could almost feel the snake in him stalking them like its prey.

"I consider it my duty to protect my own," Jay said. A glint of intrigue flashed in Pyrite's eyes.

"Is that so?" he said. He sat up straight and held out an open palm to Jay, turning his weathered eyes to Ritch, "She's lovely, Ritch. I'm sure she'll make a fine huntress."

"Yes…thank you, sir. I'm sure she appreciates the compliment," Ritch said. Jay watched Ritch out of the corner of her eye. Something was wrong. Ritch wasn't acting like himself. He was usually polite, but not overly so. Not like what he was doing now. Even his posture was off. Head down, back bent, he looked nothing like the calm, confident person she knew.

"If I'm not mistaken, you four have come for a certain someone locked away. Nasty bit of business, but it's ultimately the risk you take when you go on these sort of business ventures," Pyrite said, pulling out a wine bottle and glass from underneath his desk.

"And you want us to put work into that business venture, right?" Jay speculated. Pyrite popped the cork off the bottle, a smile teasing on his lips.

"Nothing in the world is free, dear. I'm sure you are familiar with the concept. Products, services, actions, they all come with a price. I will give you want you want. You merely have to pay for the privilege. Something I'm sure Ritch is familiar with," Mr. Pyrite snapped his fingers. One of his guards approached the desk and placed Ritch's sword in front of him. Ritch gulped nervously, his hands clenching into fists.

"Yeah, I do."

"Yes. You do. How has the sword been working for you, Ritch? Worth the Lien, I hope?" Pyrite asked him, drawing a suspicious glance from Jay. Ritch avoided the stares from his team, focusing on the carpet as he replied respectfully.

"It's excellent, sir. Thank you, sir," he said. Pyrite raised the sword, inspecting the gleaming blade. His fingers ran along its edge, halting at the tip.

"Its craftsmanship is truly remarkable. You're a lucky one, Ritch. I wouldn't have extended this courtesy to just anyone," Pyrite said. Jay furrowed her brow.

"Okay, I've had enough. What is he talking about, Ritch?" she asked.

"Oh, he never told you? I leased the sword and armor to Ritch when he expressed his wish to become a huntsman. He has served me faithfully for years so it was least I could do," Pyrite explained. Jay's skeptic expression deepened. She stood up from her seat and stopped in front of Pyrite's desk, looking down at him with an unamused frown. The guards around her raised their guns, their fingers inches from the trigger.

"And what did he pay for that? Nothing in the world is free, after all," Jay said. Pyrite smiled, he leaned back against his chair and propped his feet up on the desk.

"Very astute, young lady. Of course, I have to keep my investments in check. In exchange for the use of the sword and armor, Ritch need only pay me a percentage of the Lien in his possession every month. A fair trade, wouldn't you agree, Ritch?"

"Yes, sir. It's very-"

"Stop it, Ritch. Just stop it," Jay ordered. She turned back to Pyrite, putting her hands on the table, "And what happens if he can't pay? Or won't?"

"Were it to happen, I'd have to do my duty as a responsible citizen…and report him for multiple thefts of dust and property," Pyrite answered. The silence was deafening. Jay had to repeat the words over and over. Then like a bolt of lightning, it all hit her at once, forcing her to scowl.

"You're black mailing him?! For crimes you forced him to commit?!" she nearly shouted. Pyrite remained stone-faced, only serving to infuriate Jay even more. Pyrite was a crook masquerading as a charity worker. All of his supposed good deeds really only served his own interests, without care as to whom he was hurting in the process.

"I'm merely ensuring our continued cooperation. Insurance, if you will. A perfectly legitimate business practice. And contrary to what you may believe, I never forced Ritch to do anything. Everything he did for me, he did of his own choice." Pyrite said, taking a drink from his glass.

"Like that makes a load of difference. You're taking advantage of him," Jay said. Pyrite pressed a hand against his chest.

"I apologize that you feel that way, Ms. Atlantis. Truly, I do. But there's nothing to be done. I offered, he accepted. I don't see how you can demonize me for adhering to the most basic of business deals."

"Because you're forcing him to work for you. You can dress it up however you like, but at the end of the day, you're still using him!" Jay said. A hand grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back.

"That's enough. Jay, we didn't come here to talk about my...employment," Ritch said. Jay glared at him and wrenched her arm free, sitting back down. The guards eased their posture, but still kept their guns trained on her.

Ritch sighed and looked to the rest of his team, his frown growing deeper, "Mr. Pyrite…sir. What would like us to do for you?"

"Yes, onto business then," Pyrite leaned forward, tenting his fingers with a satisfied smirk, "I'm sure you're aware that the Vytal Festival is coming soon? Quite the occasion for this city."

"Yeah, sure. What does that have to do with anything?" Jay asked with a shrug.

"Naturally, Vale has to have a strong security presence to maintain order. Recently they have contacted Atlas for additional aid. Which means quite a lot of military equipment is being kept in this very city," Pyrite said.

"And you want us to do what exactly?" Jay asked.

"Relieve them of it, of course."

Jay straightened unconsciously, her jaw hanging open, "…You…want us to steal from the Atlesian Military for you?"

"Oh no, the weapons aren't for me. Their rightful owner will be joining you to ensure everything goes smoothly. It was his idea after all," Pyrite said.

"And who would that be?" Jay asked.

"Mr. Roman Torchwick. A fine fellow. In exchange for your assistance he will provide you with several bags of Lien. Once you're done you will return the payment to me. Simple, no?" Pyrite said. Jay pursed her lips, releasing a long sigh.

"Fine, fine. Where do we go?" she asked.

"Torchwick will meet you in an alley in Central Vale. One of my drivers will meet you there as well. Do try and be on your best behavior. I have a reputation to maintain," Pyrite said. Sensing their conversation was coming to a close, Jay turned towards the exit. Her team stood up from their chairs with Ritch giving Pyrite a respectful bow.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Pyrite," he said. Pyrite responded with a nod and, with a snap of his fingers, signaled the guards to let them leave. Jay was the first to go, all too eager to be as far away from Pyrite as possible.

The walk back to the boat was filled with silence. Jay kept an eye on Ritch, unsure of what to say or if she should even speak at all. She didn't expect anything like what she heard. Her own teammate being blackmailed into Pyrite's service sent a chill down her spine and a spike of anger through her body. If Ritch was forced to pay him money now, she didn't dare think of what else Pyrite would force him to do.

A heavy feeling welled up in her chest. It was the same sensation she felt when she realized her team was being attacked, the need to protect her own. Ritch was stuck in something he couldn't get himself out of. She had to help him, somehow.

Jay nodded to herself. Once they were done with Pyrite, she was going to have a long talk with both him and Ritch.

…

Jay paced back and forth, listening to the dead silence of the city. Most people would be asleep, a perfect time for Vale's criminal underbelly to do their work. A tired yawn escaped her lips. She checked the time on her scroll, groaning when she saw the late time. She leaned against a brick wall, its paint faded and peeling. They had arrived at the meeting point nearly a half hour ago, but there was no sign of Torchwick.

"This guy sure is taking his sweet time," she said to no one in particular. A long silence followed, with Jay checking and re-checking her weapon. She pulled the blade free from its staff, testing the pull of the chain that held them together.

"Does anyone else feel uncomfortable doing this? I was hoping that we would be doing something more...tame. " Spriggan asked, clutching the upper sleeves of her jacket as a wave of cold air hit them. Jay gave her a consoling smile, pushing herself off the wall.

"We'll be fine, Sprig. Just think happy thoughts. We'll get this done, grab our info, shut down those people targeting us, and ride off into the sunset," Jay said, wrapping an arm around Spriggan's shoulder.

"Or we get caught, they find out we're Beacon students, cause an international incident, and get tossed into a maximum security prison," Tephra replied, flashing a quick two thumbs up, "But yeah, happy thoughts."

Jay's fingers traced the grip of Hydra Spike. Spriggan was only saying what she herself was feeling. Jay tried to sound confident, but they were still robbing a kingdom's military. Atlas was known throughout Remnant for its cutting edge technology. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that they would protect it no matter the cost.

A low whistle suddenly caught her attention. Jay turned back towards the street, noticing three men walking towards them. One of them, wearing a bowler hat and a white coat, took the lead, twirling the cane in his hand, "Hello girls and boy. You must be Pyrite's little helpers."

The two men following him stayed a safe distance away. The symbol etched on their armor brought Jay to a dead stop. Her grip on her weapon tightened. She couldn't mistake the red beast with three claw marks behind it.

"Ritch, why are we working with the White Fang?" she whispered. Despite her attempts to keep quiet, Tephra heard her, a grimace dancing across her face.

"I don't know, Jay. Pyrite didn't say anything about this. Hopefully, they'll be civil about this," Ritch replied. Behind him, Tephra scoffed.

"Because the White Fang are what I think of when I imagine civil," she said, her grimace turning into a full frown.

Jay put on a brave face, meeting Torchwick at the center of the alley. She wore a friendly, albeit terribly exaggerated smile, every nerve ready to ignite into action the second Torchwick appeared the least bit hostile. Balancing the hook of his cane on his wrist, Torchwick brandished a heavy engraved lighter. Its steady ember kissed the tip of his cigar, leaving behind a warm glow and a trail of thin smoke.

Jay watched the White Fang members out of the corner of her eye. When it came to Faunus, Jay kept an open mind. It didn't matter to her whether a person was Faunus or human. The only thing that mattered was their character. She had no problem when Tephra joined the team and considered her to be just as valuable as the others.

But she didn't extend that same courtesy to the White Fang. However pure-hearted they were before, now she considered them little better than criminals. Vandalism, harassment, fire-bombings, executions, the White Fang went from a peaceful organization to a terrorist cell with a twisted agenda. It disappointed her to see something so bent on true change regress into radical ideology.

"As punctual as ever. I knew Pyrite couldn't ignore a pay day like this. Though I'm a little peeved he'd send kiddies to do his work for him. Believe me, I've had enough of kids to last me several lifetimes," Roman said. Jay brushed off the comment with a roll of her eyes. Ritch held out his arm in front of her, silently requesting to take the lead.

"Mr. Pyrite only employs the best, Mr. Torchwick. I can assure you that we'll follow your instructions to the letter," Ritch said with a professionalism that made Torchwick crack a sideways grin.

"Nice to see someone who jumps when they're told." Torchwick motioned for his entourage of White Fang members. One of them pulled a scroll from his pocket and held it out between them. The screen flared to life, shooting small rays of light up to display a holographic image of a three story building surrounded by tents and sheds.

"Atlas is jumpy when it comes to being on foreign soil. The entire perimeter is fenced with droids and soldiers watching every entrance. The dear general even decided to place watchtowers here, here, and here," Torchwick pointed to three different spots on the hologram, red dots appearing where his finger touched.

"The watchtowers have to go. They have a bird's eye view on the entire area and I'm willing to bet they can radio in if they even suspect something is wrong," Ritch said. Jay raised a brow. Seeing Ritch talk so casually about stealing from the military was unsettling. Torchwick pointed towards the northern side of the base, leaving a green dot.

"Atlas likes to think they're clever, but even they leave holes behind. There's a blind spot here, short buildings that are pressing against the fence. We sneak in here, get rid of the nearby tower and leave an even bigger hole to go through," Torchwick said. The Faunus holding the scroll flicked his wrist, lighting the central building with a yellow light. The hologram zoomed in on it, spinning it in a slow circle.

"This is our target. In the basement, there's a vault with all the weapons we can grab. Right across from it is a cargo lift that will take us to the building's loading bay. We'll have a truck waiting there. All we have to do is load the weapons and make our getaway," the Faunus said.

"Just like that?" Jay asked. The Faunus shut off the scroll and dropped it into his pocket.

"Just like that. We're professionals. We know how this stuff works," he said. Jay shared a look with Ritch. He crossed his arms, seemingly absorbing what the Faunus said.

"When do we start?" he asked. Torchwick leveled his cane, pointing it over Jay's shoulder.

"Right now, preferably."

Jay heard the roar of an engine and turned around. A car with a glossy black paint job and tinted windows crawled up to them, flashing its headlights twice. Roman took the signal and led everyone towards the car, pulling the back doors open, "Hurry up, kiddies. We don't have time to waste."

Once everyone was inside, Roman knocked against the partition that separated the driver's seat from the passenger cabin. The car hummed to life and pulled them into the street, driving leisurely down Central Vale.

"Here take these. We cover our faces. It's only fair that you do too," One of the Faunus said, pulling out four White Fang masks from under his seat. Jay nodded her thanks and took her mask. Spriggan and Ritch took their own, turning them over and examining them. When the Faunus held one out to Tephra, she scowled at him through clenched teeth.

"Get that thing away from me," she warned him through bared teeth, her tiger ears shooting straight up. The hostility in her tone was unmistakable. Jay could feel the animosity radiating off of her. She reached out to her. Her fingers barely grazed Tephra's arm before she whipped around with a burning glare, "I'm not putting that mask on."

Jay reeled her arm back. As if to punctuate her refusal, Tephra pushed the mask away.

"Feisty one, hm? Reminds me of another girl in red that had stupid amount of persistence," Torchwick said, apparently amused by the whole thing.

"Tephra, you're going to have to get past it. What do you think will happen if someone sees your face and recognizes you later? We can't afford to be identified. Not when we're doing something like this," Jay reasoned, making sure to put as much authority in her tone as possible. Tephra glowered but still didn't make an effort to grab the mask. Jay made the decision for her, taking the mask and forcing it into Tephra's crossed arms.

Her lips twisted into a frown, but she stayed quiet. With obvious reluctance, she pinched the mask by two fingers and let it hang between them.

Taking her small victory, Jay sat back into her seat, placing her own mask over her face. The thin slits made it difficult to see, but she had to put up with it. A lot of things weren't going their way. She only hoped that it wasn't a recurring theme for the rest of the night.


	9. All That Glitters

**Alright, hello! Sorry that this one took a bit longer than usual. Turned out to be a bit longer than I thought. And it was a bit of a challenge to write for Torchwick so hopefully I pulled it off. As always, thank you guys for your support and taking time out of your day to read this. You guys are full of awesome sauce!**

* * *

Chapter 9: All That Glitters…

Torchwick was right. Jay had never seen such a heavily defended base before. More guards than she could count were moving from one tent to another, each one just as armed and dangerous as the next. The battle droids that roamed the central building weren't to be outdone. Armed with high-powered assault rifles welded onto their arms, the droids' large bulbous eyes scanned every direction, looking for a target like her.

From her vantage point on the fourth floor of an adjacent building, she could see the entire base. There was no worry of someone stumbling upon her. The building she was in had long since been abandoned. Graffiti covered every inch of the walls and trash was scattered across the floor. She could only guess what its original purpose was. But it didn't really matter. Now it was being used as a staging ground for their break-in.

She saw why Torchwick wanted to infiltrate the base through the north. There wasn't even a fifteen-foot gap between the building's wall and the chain link fence surrounding the perimeter of the base. A half-hearted jump would be enough to cross it.

Atlas thought it would compensate by placing a watchtower facing the building. Two snipers were inside, at least one of them always looking in her direction. Jay crouched down beneath the windowsill as one of the snipers aimed their rifles towards her. A second later, a massive cone of light shone through the window, illuminating the entire room.

"Chief, I'm starting to have second thoughts on this."

Jay looked to Tephra, who was crouched right behind her. Just like in the car, she held the mask in her hand, gripping it so tightly that Jay was afraid she would break it.

"Yeah, I was getting that feeling from everyone lately," Jay replied. The spotlight moving across the room disappeared and Jay peeked out again, watching the sniper turn his back to them.

"They're going to use these weapons to hurt people. These aren't some lowlife punks who can't shoot straight, Chief. They've killed a lot of high profile people before. Politicians, activists, even SDC executives. They can do some real damage with this stuff," Tephra said. Jay turned around, wearing a genuinely sympathetic expression.

"It's not like we have a choice, Tephra. We need that information. Even if we have to do some unsavory things to get it," Jay said. Tephra knitted her brow together. She pulled up the mask in her hand, waving it in front of her.

"It's that cut and dried for you, huh? We could have just as easily forced Pyrite to give us that info. Or better yet, use all this sneaking around to find the guy we're looking for in the first place," she said.

"We don't even know where they're keeping him, Tephra. As wrong as this is, it's our only option. There's a lot at stake here. It's either arm the terrorists or die the next time we get attacked," Jay said. Tephra looked off to the side, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Then I'd rather die."

Jay paused. She wasn't sure what to say after that. Her eyes fell back on the mask clutched tightly in Tephra's hand. She scooted closer to her, her voice dropping to a whisper, "You've been acting weird ever since the White Fang showed up. What gives?"

Tephra turned back to her, biting her lip, "I hate the White Fang, Chief. I hate what they became. I hate what they do. But out of everything, I hate that they turned into the face of an entire people. And I'll be damned if I contribute to that."

Tephra looked off to the side, her frown growing deeper, "When every Faunus is being treated like a criminal because of you, you're not a hero. The White Fang aren't doing us any favors. They're just digging us into a deeper grave."

Jay opened her mouth to reply, but a soft chime interrupted her. She pulled her scroll from her pocket and held it up to her ear, "What's going on?"

"Spriggan and I are in position, Jay. Just give us the signal when you're ready," Ritch's voice rang through the other end, apprehension edging in his tone. Jay nodded. Spriggan and Ritch were on the first floor along with Torchwick. His two Faunus accomplices were no doubt making their way to the front of the base.

"No matter what, stay together. The guards seem to be sticking to the main paths that run along the tents. If any of them stray, take them down quietly and only if you have to. Don't take any unnecessary risks," Jay said as she risked another peek at the outside. Making their move while the guards were watching was too risky. So Torchwick took it upon himself to create a distraction to give Jay enough time to sneak in.

She ducked down as the spotlight made another pass over them. At the same time, a harsh string of curses echoed through the air. Instantly, the spotlight tore itself away from them, allowing Jay to peek up to see what was going on.

The two Faunus that came with them were at the base's entrance, throwing rocks and slurs at the soldiers manning the guard houses. The lookouts in the watchtower turned their spotlight on them, aiming their rifles and shouting warnings at them.

Jay didn't waste any time, placing her mask over her face. She hopped up on the windowsill and jumped into the air. Clearing the fence, she hit the ground will a roll. Tephra landed next to her, running straight for the watchtower with her mask on. Jay hurried after her.

Tephra ignored the rickety stairs and scaled up the web of metal scaffolding underneath the tower. Jay followed and climbed as fast as she could, ticking down the time in her head. They only had seconds at best before the guards scared the White Fang off. She had to neutralize them before then. She listened for the Faunus' yells, but only heard a warning shot ring through the air. Her time was up.

Jay wrapped her hands around the bottom rung of the guard rail as she held her breath. Two sets of feet were walking from one end of the tower to the other. The pace was calm, methodical. They didn't know she was there.

She released one hand from the rung and pulled her staff free from her belt, keeping it in its inert form. She looked to Tephra and pointed her staff upwards twice. Tephra nodded and prepared herself.

Jay made the first move. With the speed of a bullet, she hoisted herself up and pounced on the nearest guard, driving her staff into his back and wrapping an arm around his mouth to muffle his pained shouts. Her other arm reached around his neck and locked him in a sleeper hold, forcing a string of choked gasps.

Behind her, she could hear Tephra spring into action. The other guard barely got a word out before what sounded like glass shattering silenced him.

Jay pulled even tighter, the man suddenly falling limp in her arms. She released her hold and eased him down onto the ground, pressing a finger against his throat to make sure he was still alive. She looked up and furrowed her brow when she saw the other guard frozen to the ground, his limbs pinned by blocks of ice along with his mouth being frozen shut.

Tephra knelt over him, pressing a finger against her mouth and shushing him. Jay rolled her eyes and reached for her scroll, "Watchtower is taken care of. Make your move."

Jay peered over the edge of the guardrail. Spriggan and Ritch came out of the building's shadow. Ritch drew his sword and made a clean cut across the chain link fence. Together, he and Spriggan pulled at the opening. Torchwick appeared a moment later with his Faunus right behind him.

Jay breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was going smoothly, but they still had a long way to go. Her nerves were still rattled from what she just did. There was no backing out now. They had to move forward.

"Watchtower 3, check in."

Jay whipped around. The voice came from the radio clipped to the man she took down. She stared at it anxiously. The voice came again, more insistent than before, "Watchtower 3, we need a check in."

Before she could muster up a plan, Tephra took the radio in her hand. Without hesitation, she clicked the call button, "All you had to was ask nicely."

Jay stared at her with a slacked jaw. She reached for the radio, but Tephra swatted her hand away, turning her back on her.

"Watchtower 3, what's your status, over?"

Tephra tilted her head towards the two incapacitated guards. A smirk played on her lips, "Nothing suspicious to report. Those Faunus were making some trouble at the front gates, but we scared them off. Stupid animals."

Static poured out from the radio. Then a quick beep chirped out, "Roger that. Keep us posted if anything else happens. General Ironwood has been getting jumpy lately."

Tephra switched the radio off and tossed it over the side of the tower. She knelt down next to the frozen guard, tapping her finger against the solid block of ice covering his mouth, "That was easy. Now we know why they aren't the ones protecting us from the Grimm."

Meanwhile, Jay kept watch on the base. Floodlights lit the major dirt paths spread across the base. Most of the soldiers on-site were following them, but a few loitered around the dark edges of the camp. They're only choice was to do the same.

She checked the fence again. Spriggan and Ritch had torn a hole wide enough for them to sneak through. The Faunus followed close behind, with Torchwick taking up the rear.

"Time to go, Tephra. Stay close," Jay ordered. Tephra nodded and the two descended the tower, taking care not to make any noise on the way down. Spriggan and Ritch waited at the bottom, wearing their masks and keeping an eye out for any wandering guards. She gave them each a nod of acknowledgment.

"Ritch, Sprig, go to the right. Tephra and I will go to left. Remember the plan. Do not make your move until I give the go ahead," Jay said. Torchwick hummed in thought. He leaned his cane against his shoulder and came closer to them.

"I'll be following you two. I'm sure my boys can handle anything your friends run across," he said. Jay regarded him with a suspicious look. She didn't trust Torchwick to have her back. People like him flourished by being opportunists. Even if he needed their help now, the same couldn't be said for later.

"I hope you aren't getting any ideas," she warned him. Even if she couldn't see much through the thin slits of her mask, she didn't fail to pick up the Torchwick's sly grin.

"Who, me? No, never," he said.

"Very comforting," Jay replied. She turned her back on them and motioned for her team to spread out. Spriggan and Ritch went to the right, behind a series of shipping containers while she went to the collection of tents on her left. Tephra and Torchwick followed close behind, the former keeping her distance from the thief.

Jay stopped low behind a tent wall. The thin material flapped wildly against the slightest breeze, but she could still heard voices coming from the other side.

"You see the look on her face when they brought her back? She looked devastated. Like she was enjoying being outside for once."

Jay peeked inside the tent. Two guards were sitting in chairs, their backs turned to her as they typed away on their consoles. The clacking of keys was the only noise that she could catch coming from inside. Jay motioned for the others to follow her and snuck inside the tent, taking slow, silent steps.

"Don't try to give feelings to it. It's a robot. It doesn't know anything outside of the orders we give it. "

"But she has an aura, doesn't she? Aura only comes from the soul so if she has one, she has the other. She's just as human as the rest of us."

"Trying to reason it all is a waste of time. Its body is metal. Its skin, its insides, all metal. And whatever is giving it that aura is made of metal too. It's no different than your sidearm. It's not a real thing, just a weapon following a bunch of ones and zeroes."

Jay snuck past, keeping one eye on them at all times. Across the way was another tent flap. If she remembered the layout of the camp correctly, it would be a straight shot to their objective.

Every step made her tense. All it took was one mistake to have the entire base on her. Lost in her own cautious worry, her boot bumped into a filing cabinet. She froze on the spot, not even daring to breathe. Behind her, Tephra cringed, clamping a hand over her mouth. Torchwick, on the other hand, looked annoyed. He gripped his cane tightly as silence loomed over them.

"But my sidearm doesn't have thoughts. It doesn't talk and it doesn't run off on its own. There's a reason she did that. And I can tell you that taking her offsite to wherever she is now is the last thing we should be doing to her. She said she made a friend out there. We shouldn't be denying her of that."

Jay breathed a silent sigh of relief. Taking more care to watch her footing, she reached the other end of the tent. Tephra followed close behind her, her Faunus ears twitching like a predator on the prowl. Jay pulled back the plastic flap, surveying the area ahead.

It looked like a parking lot. A line of APC's were parked to their left, glinting underneath the intense illumination of a floodlight. To her right was another tent, its entrance wide open. Jay leaned to the side. She didn't have a good angle on the inside of the tent. She could just barely see some military cases stacked into a tall pile.

She took a step outside, focused on the line of APC's. She took one step, then another. Nothing came outside the tent and she didn't hear anything that would tell her if someone was inside. The APC's came closer and closer, her pace getting faster until she was within arm's length of them. She pressed her back against its thick armor and moved behind it.

"You're both handling this stunningly. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Pyrite has asked you to do this before," Torchwick quipped. Jay shuddered at the thought. He didn't know that they weren't employees of Pyrite's. She couldn't help but worry what he'd do if he found out they were actually Huntsmen fulfilling a favor.

Quickly, she moved down the row of vehicles. She passed one APC after another, the end of the line coming in sight.

Coming to a stop, Jay poked her head out. The main compound stood at two stories, with a terrace on the second floor. The front door was unguarded, the droids patrolling the roof and second floor providing more than enough security.

This was the hard part. There wasn't an inch of the building that wasn't being watched at all times. But Jay had worked out a plan. Atlesian droids were smart; the best tech in Remnant was used to make them infallible. If something was wrong, they would notice.

So Jay decided to use that against them.

She raised her scroll up to her ear, her eyes never leaving the building, "Sprig, are you in position?"

"Just made it in time. We can see the droids from here. Our best bet would be the roof. Nobody will miss that," Spriggan said on the other end. Jay kept moving and stopped behind a large crate. Only a small stretch of land separated her from her destination. She ducked down as a droid looked in her direction.

"Once we're done, head to the front door and meet up with us. Are the White Fang with you?" she asked.

"They're right behind us. They've cooperated …so far," Spriggan whispered the last part of her sentence.

"Only a few steps left, Sprig. Be careful," Jay said. She put her scroll away and unfolded Hydra Spike, holding the blade out in front of Tephra. She took it between two fingers and sprinkled a pinch of red dust over it. Jay pulled it away and aimed towards the roof, right at an unsuspecting droid.

Her finger twitched and the blade sailed through the air. The droid didn't even notice it until it impaled its chest, spraying a fine blue mist of hydraulic fluid from the hole. A second later, a blazing inferno engulfed the blade. The fire spread over the droid's dermal armor and internal components, loud pops and cracks exploding from its melting body.

Jay yanked on her staff. The droid was pulled off the roof and plummeted to the ground, catching the attention of the other droids on the roof and terrace. The droid's body convulsed, thrashing on the ground as it emitted a high pitched squeal. The other droids headed inside and came out the front door, rifles raised to investigate.

"Now's our chance. Let's go. Torchwick, go through the front door." Jay said, taking a small amount of pleasure from the irritated look on his face. She jumped out of cover and fired her blade at the second-floor balcony. Tephra wrapped her arms around Jay's neck as she rewound the chain, grappling up to the terrace's balcony. Jay climbed up with her staff at the ready for any droids that stayed behind. She opened a sliding glass door and held her scroll up to her ear, "Sprig, the droids are distracted. Won't be long before they start searching the place."

"Understood. We're on our way now," Spriggan replied. Jay headed inside into a deserted hall. Behind her, Tephra turned her head in every direction, letting the beeping of her bracelet paint the area around her.

"I'm not picking anything up," she said.

"Neither am I. All the base personnel must be outside," Jay said, shutting the glass door behind them. The two rounded a corner and descended a small flight of stairs, wary for a trap or a loitering guard, "I wonder why Torchwick wants all these weapons anyways. He doesn't look like a Faunus so why is he working with the White Fang? I thought they were all about subjugating humans."

"Not at first. But things change. Maybe the White Fang has been getting desperate. Or maybe the exact opposite," Tephra speculated. Jay tossed her a worried look.

"You don't think they're getting bolder, do you? Vandalizing businesses is one thing, but escalating tensions to an all-out race war is something else. After all, every kingdom would bite back if they tried. They'd be wiped out," Jay said. Tephra shrugged. She stayed in pensive silence as they stopped at a corner. Finally, she spoke, her words carrying a foreboding tone.

"Unless they win before anyone realizes it."

A series of footsteps drew Jay's attention behind them. The rest of her team and the two White Fang members were at the end of the hall. Spriggan's expression was enough for Jay to notice that something was wrong, "What happened?"

"Atlesian guards heard the noise too. We only have a few minutes at best before they get in here," Spriggan said. Jay groaned in exasperation.

"Great. And where the heck is Torchwick? I'm starting to think he-"

"Hey, you! Put your hands in the air!"

Jay turned around and met the barrel of an assault rifle being pointed at her head. She didn't even have time to react before the hook of a cane caught the muzzle and hiked it up, the bullet piercing itself into the ceiling.

Torchwick stepped out of the shadows and punched the guard in the throat, following up with a barrage of cane strikes. The cane hook caught the guard's ankle and tripped him to the ground. Torchwick slammed his foot on the man's chest, raising his cane and pointing it at the guard's head . The end of his cane flipped open and a click echoed from inside.

Jay pushed his cane away, staring him down with a hard expression, "You're not killing him. I'm making that a rule from now on."

Torchwick wringed his cane free and narrowed his eyes. Jay held firm, matching his stare. A tense silence filled the air before he relented, kicking the guard across the face and knocking him out cold, "Kids these days really love to show off their golden hearts. And here I thought Pyrite employed the loose morals kind of people."

Jay ignored him. She motioned for her team to follow her through the darkened halls. The group picked up the pace, the sounds of soldiers bursting into the building making them run even faster. Jay skidded to a stop in a wide open space. Computer servers and heavy metal crates were left haphazardly around the room.

A stairwell that led to the basement sat on the other side of the room. Jay turned to her team, the sounds of incoming soldiers growing louder, "We're not going to get anything done with Atlas coming in."

Torchwick stopped next to her. He looked back to his two Faunus cohorts and pointed to the small stairwell at the other end of the room, "Crack open the vault and start loading the truck, would you? And don't be afraid to…take care…of anyone standing in your way"

Jay narrowed her eyes at him. Torchwick threw her a sideways grin, as if he was reveling in pushing her buttons. She shook her head, her voice dropping into barely constrained hatred, "Guys, go with them. Wouldn't want Torchwick to do all the hard work, right?"

She practically spit his name as she gave her orders. Spriggan placed a hand on her shoulder. The tension coiling in Jay's muscles, softened, but only slightly.

"Remember what I said, Jay. Don't let your emotions get the better of you," Spriggan whispered. Jay swallowed a deep breath, trying to rein herself in. She managed to force her disgust down for a moment and gave a curt nod.

A loud bang drew Jay's attention towards the hallways that connected to the room. Soldiers shouted orders to cover every possible exit. Jay brandished her staff and extended it to its full length, "I'll keep it in mind. Now get going."

Spriggan sprinted down the stairwell. Jay and Torchwick faced the nearest entrance. Jay took a moment to survey her surroundings. Moonlight bled through the high windows, washing the entire room in its light and casting thick, dark shadows in every direction. Jay glanced at Torchwick, tilting her head in the direction of a dark corner.

Torchwick shared the same idea. The two took off in opposite directions and hid in the shadows as the sound of boots clapping against the floor reached its highest. Jay crouched low against a shipping crate, holding her staff close to her chest.

"Sweep the area! Check every inch of the room. If you so much as think you hear something, call it in!"

Jay stayed perfectly still, denying herself a chance to even breathe. The sound of rifles being loaded was enough to keep her quiet. She was still sore from the first time she was shot. Her aura wasn't in any condition to take a hail of gunfire.

Jay poked her head out of cover. There were at least five that she could see walking through the mess of crates and computer servers. Unlike the guards from outside, these were tense. Their military training clearly shone through as each one of them covered the other's blindside. They spread out from the corner of the room they came from, moving in a synchornized fan formation.

Jay dashed from the crate to a pillar. Almost immediately, a guard aimed his rifle at her last position, "I heard something. East side of the room. Moving to confirm."

"Acknowledged. Providing cover."

Jay swallowed. There was no way she was going to be able to take them out one by one. She had to improvise. Cupping her hands together, Jay took slow breaths. A euphoric rush coursed through her veins, washing over her like a refreshing breeze. Her aura manifested itself into its physical form. Smoke curled from her fingers, swirling like a tornado in her palms.

She could feel the soldiers coming closer. The smoke in her hands poured out into the ground, flying around her as more of it radiated off her body. She leaned out of cover, spotted the two soldiers, and fired a jet of smoke. The plume of mist exploded at their feet, the guards firing wildly in surprise.

"What the hell?! Where'd this smoke come from?!"

Jay surged out with her staff in mid-swing. Her blade sailed upwards, cutting one soldier's rifle in half. She brought the other end down and smashed it into the back of his head, hearing a satisfying crunching noise as her staff broke through the soldier's helmet.

Her body erupted in pain as a bullet grazed her aura. Jay gritted her teeth and dropped to the ground. She swung her staff out, tripping the first guard to the ground as the bullets tore through the air above him.

Jay rolled to her feet. The second guard spotted her through the smoke and aimed his rifle. A wild shriek filled the air as a burst of fire and light sent him flying into a wall. Torchwick lowered his cane and ducked behind cover as bullets peppered the concrete pillar he was hiding behind.

Jay capitalized on the distraction. She dashed behind the group of soldiers, the blade shooting out of her staff as she swung it. The chain wrapped around the waist of one soldier, pulling him back as Jay kicked out. Her boot connected with his spine, forcing a guttural cry.

The soldier dropped like a rock. His shouts didn't go unnoticed. Another soldier turned his gun on her, firing a relentless barrage.

Jay sidestepped out the way, the air hot and sour from gun smoke. She spun on her heel and fired her blade again, embedding it in the far wall. With a flick of her thumb, Jay was pulled across the room. Her legs wrapped around the soldier's neck as she twisted her body, using the momentum to fling him across the room and into a computer server.

She landed on her feet and narrowly dodged the butt of a rifle. Another soldier swung his gun like a bat, his attacks slow and embarrassingly transparent. Jay countered his next swing and drove the blunt end of her staff into his chin hard enough to hear bone snap. The soldier stumbled backward, clutching his broken jaw. Torchwick appeared behind him and batted his cane into the man's kidneys before downing him with a swift swing to the head.

The soldier that Jay flipped across the room struggled to his feet and pulled the trigger as far back as it could go. Jay jumped back, bullets whizzing past her. Torchwick moved out of its way and fired another flare. The soldier rolled out of its way and pulled a grenade from his belt before tossing it at them.

The grenade flew right towards them. Torchwick ran towards it and swung his cane, sending it flying back. Jay watched in horror as the grenade came closer to ending the man's life. She thrusted her hand forward, a blast of smoke sending the grenade to the corner of the room where it exploded.

The soldier's jaw hung open. Jay blew another gust of wind and propelled the gun out of his hand. She wrapped her arms around his neck and shut off his airway. The man struggled in her grip but his arms steadily went limp before he succumbed and blacked out. Jay relaxed then felt the rising tide of fury boil over.

"What the hell was that?! You nearly killed him!" she shouted at Torchwick as she lowered the man to the floor. Torchwick shrugged without a care in the world.

"I'm not much of a stickler for rules, sweetheart. Besides, he started it," he snickered. Jay felt the simmering anger in her chest return in full force. She marched up to him and grabbed two fistfuls of his coat. The blatant disregard for human life, the indifference he had when he admitted to it, it all fed to the roaring fire as Jay's fists squeezed him harder.

"We didn't agree to becoming murderers. We're supposed to be better than that. Killing people is the worst thing a person can do. And you nearly did it. Damn it, if I didn't need to keep you alive I'd-"

"Do what? Kill me yourself? Can you say 'hypocrite?" Torchwick said, pressing the end of his cane against her side. Jay growled, ignoring the heat coming from the cane's freshly fired barrel, "Pyrite's been hiring some idealistic people lately, hasn't he? I'm frankly surprised that such a well-to-do person such as yourself is being employed by Vale's resident gun runner."

"At least I still have my honor. Something you're sorely lacking," Jay retorted.

"Honor? From criminals like us?" Torchwick asked with a knowing grin.

"We've lost contact with Team 2! Spread out and look around. Cover each other's back!"

Jay released her hold on him. She took a step back, trying to rein her temper in. She shook her head and turned towards the stairwell, "Forget about it. We need to get out of here as fast as possible."

"Lead the way. Remember to not throw a tantrum, hmm?" Torchwick said. Jay ignored him and headed down the stairs.

Coming to a halt at the bottom, the first thing that caught her eye was the massive cog-shaped steel door sitting wide open. Several stacks of weapon cases were sitting in the adjacent freight elevator with Jay's team loading more of them with the White Fang.

"We're running on a timer guys. How much longer is this going to take?" Jay asked. The Faunus seemed to ignore her, more interested in the crates stamped with the Atlas coat of arms.

"Loading up the last few crates now. We hit the big one, Torchwick. This stuff is enough to arm a battalion," one of the Faunus said. Jay didn't miss Tephra grimacing at his words as she walked back inside the vault.

"Excellent work, boys. Let's hurry this up and get going," Torchwick said, stopping in front of the vault's entrance. The Faunus nodded and scampered out with the last few cases in their hands.

Jay stepped inside the vault to join the rest of her team. The entire space was large length-wise with Atlas banners stretching down the walls. The room itself was completely cleared out. Every gun rack was empty and each box of dust was gone. Only a scant amount of ammunition was carelessly left behind.

Spriggan walked up to her, taking her mask off with a comforting smile She wrapped an arm around Jay's shoulder and pulled her closer, keeping her voice as quiet as possible.

"Are you alright, Jay? Things sounded pretty bad up there," she said. Jay sighed and shook her head. She gave her partner a small, forced smile in return.

"It's nothing to worry about Sprig. Let's get out of here. I just want today to be over wi-"

An ear-splitting howl stopped her. A wave of heat overwhelmed her. Jay felt herself being thrown back as shrapnel cut through her aura and embers burned her skin. The vault floor suddenly slammed in her face, sending spikes of pain up and down her body. The ringing in her ears drowned the voices calling out to her, reducing everything to noise.

A pair of hands rolled her gingerly onto her back. Fresh waves of pain ran up and down her body, making her cry out. She opened her eyes, staring up at Spriggan. Her face was etched with worry and smeared with soot. Jay strained her neck as she looked towards the vault door. Torchwick stood at its threshold, his cane raised with a thin tail of smoke lacing the barrel. His finger twitched again and an intense ball of light rocketed towards them.

A flash of red dropped in front of her. Tephra planted her feet to the ground and raised her shield. The blast rocked the entire room. White hot fragments sprayed in every direction, a heavy scent of phosphorus filling the room . The sheer force of the explosion knocked Tephra off her feet and crashing into a metal rack.

Jay forced herself to her feet and charged at Torchwick with reckless abandon. He smirked and slammed his fist against a switch next to the entrance. With a mighty groan, the vault's massive door slammed shut. Jay pounded her hands against the thick carbide steel, trying in vain to pull it open.

"What are you doing?!" she managed to croak out. Her throat burned with every breath, violent coughs sputtering out from her bloodied lips.

"Oh don't play dumb, kiddie. You think I don't know a huntress when I see one?" Torchwick said from the other side, "I had my suspicions, but your little speech earlier about not killing people made it plain as day. And let's be honest, someone has to take the fall for this. Might as well be humanity's stalwart protectors."

Ritch staggered to her side, a scowl on his face, "What about the deal? Pyrite isn't going to be happy to find out you double crossed him."

"Frankly, I don't care what Pyrite thinks. I've got bigger plans than him. Besides, I did all I could. I tried with all my power to save you four, but Atlas' military was just too powerful. So you all did the noble thing. You sacrificed yourselves so that I could make it. Fitting for you Huntsmen types, right?" Torchwick laughed.

Jay smashed her metal fist against the door, only serving to make Torchwick laugh harder, "Kick and scream all you want, kiddies. You'll just be drawing Atlas' attention."

Jay heard footsteps above them. She didn't mistake it. There were more soldiers coming into the basement, shouting orders that were muffled by the thick concrete walls.

"Well, time's up. I have to get going. It's been fun, really," Torchwick said. Jay gritted her teeth, listening helplessly as Torchwick walked away and the screeching of the freight elevator signaled its ascension. Then it was silent. Not a word or a sound came through.

Jay's hands slid down the door as she fell to her knees. She bowed her head, a disgusted frown taking hold.

"…Damn it."


	10. The Brightest Light

**Alright, hello! I just want to say sorry I couldn't get this out sooner. This actually turned out to be a pretty lengthy chapter. Hope you don't mind. As always, thank you guys for the support. Seeing you guys enjoy this gives me the warm fuzzies. So go forth and read!**

* * *

Chapter 10: The Brightest Light

Jay snarled. Her fist smashed itself into the sturdy vault door. The golden metal she wore over it dented from the impact, but barely left a scratch on ten ton steel. She pulled back and punched the door again, small sparks jumping out from her fist. She punched again and again, her seething anger pushing all rationale from her head.

"Jay, that's enough!" Ritch said. Jay threw one last hard punch. The breath she didn't know she was holding slipped out. Her frustrations died out with a weary sigh.

"I should have seen this coming. Why did I even think for a second this would work out?" she asked herself. Pulling herself up, she turned back to face her team. Tephra was lying on the ground, propping herself up with one arm while holding the other close to her chest. Ritch was kneeling next to her, his hand washed with a yellow glow as he held it on her shoulder.

"We aren't to blame for this, Jay. If anything, we should be blaming Torchwick. Everything was going fine until he betrayed us," he said. Jay walked to the center of the room, turning in a slow circle. There had to be a way out. It was only a matter of time before Atlas opened the door with a thousand guns aimed at their heads.

"He only betrayed us because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. I got angry and I said more than I should have. Now we gotta find a way out of the mess I dropped us in," Jay replied, regret pulling at her. This was her fault. She couldn't place the blame on anyone else. Torchwick wouldn't have done what he did if it weren't for her. Her own sense of justice put them in a corner and forced a sick feeling down her throat.

They didn't deserve it. It was all her. She had to make it up to them. She had to do something. It was her duty as a leader to pull them out of the situation they were in.

She traced her eyes along the corners, wringing her hands in nervous tension. She checked the same places over and over as if she was missing a crucial clue each time.

The blackened patches on the floor from Torchwick's flare reminded her how tired she felt. She tried not to show it for her team's sake, but she was running on fumes. Her aura was stretched thin from overusing her Semblance and protecting herself from Torchwick's attack. She knew it wouldn't last in a fight. Running two fingers over her lips, she frowned at the slick red staining her fingertips.

"Could have been worse…but let's not tempt fate right now," she muttered.

Tephra got to her feet in a slouched posture, brushing the ash off her singed robes. Ritch steadid her so that she didn't fall back down. Lifting her bracelet, each beep coming from it was reciprocated by a twitch of her tiger ears.

"No holes, no grates, not even a secret passage. We're trapped like rats. Wish it were the White Fang in here instead. At least then, they'd be right at home," she said. Jay wiped the blood on her tattered blue scarf. The voices coming from the Atlesian forces reached the other side of the door. It groaned under its own weight, shaking slightly as the locking mechanisms were retracted.

"So what do we do now? Surrender?" Spriggan asked. Jay faced her team. She examined every single one of their faces. The uncertainty in them made her chest clench. A deep resolve settled in her heart. They had followed her into something they never expected to be a part of. They watched her back and even saved her life. It was only fair to return the favor. She slid her cracked White Fang mask over her face and shook her head.

"No, I won't let them take us. Not without a fight," She walked up to them, determination swelling inside her, "We haven't backed down yet, Sprig. We're not starting now. I promise I'm going to get us out of this, for all our sakes."

"I assume you have a plan, then?" Ritch asked her. Jay nodded and pointed at their only Faunus companion. She had just enough aura to use her Semblance one last time. It was reckless, but they didn't have the luxury of time to think of a better plan.

"Tephra," she said. The Faunus tilted her head. Jay needed as much time as possible to gather her strength and if there was one thing Tephra was good at other than fighting, it was running her mouth.

…

The vault door cracked open an inch and Tephra listened carefully to her bracelet. Her ears perked up at the new figures taking form in her mind. Countless splotches were bouncing the sound waves back at her. Atlesian forces took shape, their exact number becoming clearer with every beep Tephra's bracelet made. There were dozens of them, each with their rifles raised and their fingers against the trigger.

The vault opened even further and Tephra squeezed through, mask over her face. Atlas didn't know what they were up against. She could use that to her benefit.

"Put your hands in the air! On your knees now!" she heard one say. She did as she was told, dropping to her knees and holding her hands up. Jay had insisted that she take the extra precaution of leaving her shield in the vault. Looking harmless would make her distraction all the more effective.

Silence reigned over the room. It was a good sign. It meant they weren't trying to open the vault door anymore. The corners of her lips tugged upwards slightly as she spoke.

"Uhh…something, something, the one armed Faunus did it," She said. She sensed the Atlas soldiers looking at each other in bewilderment. To illustrate her point, Tephra waved both arms in the air. One soldier piped up, voicing the disbelief the rest of his comrades had.

"This can't be it, right? How the hell did one Faunus infiltrate a high-security military compound?" he asked.

"You left the back door open," Tephra remarked. One of them walked up to her and she winced as an armored glove smacked her across the face.

"Think you're being funny?" the soldier asked her. He stepped back, motioning towards the other guards in the room, "You riled up an entire base and this is what we find? One flea-bitten Faunus that gave up without a fight? You wasted our time for nothing."

Tephra scoffed and righted herself. Her cheek stung from the slap, but still she managed a smile, "I'm sorry if my robbery was inconvenient for you."

She sensed the man reeling his fist back. But she didn't feel the crushing force hit her. Instead, he lowered his hand, his posture straightening as his tone took a more authoritative manner, "You're under arrest for trespassing and stealing from the Atlas Military. You are hereby a prisoner under Atlas jurisdiction and subject to her laws. You have the right to remain silent-"

"And I respectfully ignore that right." Tephra interrupted him, "I have to say, if anything I did you all a favor. I found a flaw in that armor of yours. Now the good general can take my constructive criticism and make sure it doesn't happen again. I deserve a medal for my outstanding civilian service. Just FYI, I'm more partial to the gold ones myself."

The soldier's face twisted into a tight frown. His patience was running thin.

"Someone shut her up and toss her in a cell," the man said. He walked away while two other soldiers came up to her with their guns raised.

"I still don't buy it. Who else was working with you? Do you have any accomplices?" one of them said.

"Yeah, the heiress of the SDC and Lisa Lavender. We were going to make our getaway on our talking borbatusk," Tephra replied. One of the guards sighed and walked towards her as he pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt.

"You really are a handful," he said. He grabbed Tephra's wrists and slapped the handcuffs over them. Then Tephra heard it, the sound of metal hitting the vault door behind her. She looked up at the man towering over her and smiled.

"Do tell."

A stream of yellow dust shot out from her sleeves and coated her gloves. Tephra grabbed the man by his arms. Arcs of lightning jumped from her hands. Fifty-thousand volts wracked his body, his muscles locking in constant spasms as he howled in pain.

Tephra let him go and shot her cuffed hands out, wrapping the chain that held them together at the back of the man's neck. She pulled him towards her and launched her knee upwards, smashing his chin. Tephra kept her hold on him, using him as a human shield between her and the dozen rifles being pointed at her.

Her leg kicked out behind her at the vault switch and the door flung open. A sudden rush of cool air hit her. Tephra released her hold on the soldier and jumped out of the way as an enormous blast of blue smoke knocked everyone caught in the blast off their feet. The basement quickly filled with mist. The air around Tephra rippled as three crossbow bolts appeared from nowhere, embedding themselves into the ground in front of the downed Atlesian forces. The thin coat of red dust covering them exploded and scattered what little guards were left trying to aim their rifles.

Ritch stepped out of the vault, mask on his face and crossbow in hand. He folded it back into a sword and cleaved through Tephra's handcuffs in one clean swipe. A masked Spriggan was the next to come out, her arm wrapped around Jay who was panting in exhaustion.

"On the freight elevator, now!" she ordered. The whole team piled into the wide elevator, Ritch slamming the button to send them up. The confused clamor of the guards was reduced to muffles before fading away. Jay braced herself against the elevator wall. Her legs felt like jelly. The blast of smoke drained what little aura she had left. It was a miracle she hadn't fallen over.

"How are you feeling?" Spriggan asked, her hands glowing a bright green as she transferred some of her aura to Jay.

"I'll feel a lot better once we're out of here," Jay replied. The surge of energy coursing from Spriggan's hands invigorated her. She made herself stand upright and pulled Hydra Spike free, "Stay sharp, guys. We're not out of this yet."

The elevator ground to a halt, opening to the wide open space of the loading bay. Tephra was the first to step out, using her bracelet to look for any hostiles. She nodded and signaled an all-clear.

The team scanned the area. Box trucks outfitted with large cargo containers were parked evenly on one side of the room. At the opposite side of the elevator was a small ramp that led to the outside. Jay didn't fail to notice the tire marks that ran down the room's length. Torchwick made a clean getaway. She wished they could say the same thing

"Anyone know how to drive?" Tephra asked. Ritch sheathed his sword in its scabbard.

"I had to be a getaway driver for Pyrite's thugs a few times. Let me take care of it," he said, heading to the nearest truck. Tephra followed after him, giving him a soft punch to the shoulder.

"A thief and a getaway driver. Next you'll tell me you stole candy from a baby," she teased.

Ritch jumped into the driver's seat of a truck with Tephra taking the passenger's side. The cabin was small, with only two seats separated by a small door that led to the cargo box. Ritch cursed under his breath. There wasn't a key in the ignition. He reached under the dashboard and pried the paneling off, a mess of tangled wires spilling out. He snapped the plastic cover off the steering column, disconnecting and rewiring the ignition cables.

Tephra heard shouting and turned her attention back to the other half of her team. A squad of Atlas soldiers barged into the room with weapons raised. Jay and Spriggan dove behind a concrete divider as they opened fire. Tephra kicked the passenger side door open and unleashed a storm of ice at the incoming guards. Their feet were encased in ice, some of them falling over from the sudden stop in momentum.

The truck's engine purred to life. Ritch threw the gear stick into drive and sped towards the other half of their team. Jay ran out of cover and grabbed the open passenger door. Her other hand caught Spriggan's. With a grunt of effort, Jay pulled them both in and shut the door behind them.

Ritch swerved towards the exit, crashing through the flimsy security barrier and into the open road. He watched the rear-view mirror, the base growing smaller and smaller. Before long, it was completely out of sight.

Jay fell back into the seat and sighed. She peered through the window at the empty streets, their truck reflecting off the passing storefront windows. The serious expression she had worn ever since they entered the base softened and she couldn't help but laugh, "You see, guys? Totally foolproof. Just goes to show that when push comes to shove, I can strategize with the best of them."

She placed a hand over her pounding heart as if it would burst out of her chest. The adrenaline coursing through her veins made her jitter. She fought to keep it all down. It all felt unreal. When she was in the thick of fighting, she only focused on the goal. But now that it was over, Jay couldn't believe what they did. Her mother always told her that a Huntress' life wasn't normal. She just never expected it to go that far.

"What are we going to tell Pyrite when we return? Do you think he'll be forgiving about the whole incident? We certainly weren't anticipating being betrayed by Torchwick," Spriggan said. Ritch furrowed his brow. He drove them into a highway ramp, his thumbs rapping against the steering wheel.

"I don't know. Pyrite's a business man through and through. If we don't fulfill our end of the bargain, he might not fulfill his," he said.

"Torchwick didn't fulfill his end either. It's not our fault. If he doesn't see that, I'm cracking his skull open," she said. Ritch shot her a glare then turned his attention back to the deserted road.

"Let's just get back to him. We'll figure out what to do from there," Ritch said. Spriggan nodded and propped her elbow against the armrest of the door, staring out over the sleeping city.

"I just hope we don't run into any more trouble. I've had enough excitement for one night," she said. A glint in the side mirror caught her eye. She squinted and her heart dropped when she spotted two bullheads flying after them, "I may have spoken too soon."

Jay saw the Bullheads' reflection in the mirror and her cheerful expression dropped like a rock, "Sprig, what did I tell you about your doom speak?"

Spriggan couldn't get a word out before a salvo of bullets rained down on the truck. The truck swerved wildly as Ritch tried to avoid the hail of lead. Bullets punctured the driver's cabin and Tephra hissed as a few grazed her aura and ricocheted across the dashboard, shooting out chips of plastic and metal.

"Atlas just doesn't know when to quit," she said.

"Tephra, get into the back. Maybe there's something that will get them off our tail!" Jay ordered. Tephra pushed the small door behind her open. She jumped into the cargo box with her bracelet raised, but an eerily familiar feeling welled up inside her. Vibrations ran down her arm and to her skull. The sensation was intense, far more intense than anything she felt before.

It was the feeling she felt when Dust was nearby.

Another barrage of bullets hit the truck and the realization dawned on her, "Chief! We got a serious problem back here!"

Jay jumped inside and pulled her mask off, staring wide-eyed at what was inside. Mountains of dust cases were piled inside. A few cases had dents and shell casings littered the floor. She understood what Tephra meant. Powder dust was extremely volatile. One vial could ignite into an enormous explosion. And there were hundreds of them.

If even one of those bullets hit them, the entire truck would be annihilated. It would take a whole city block with it too.

"Ritch, step on it! Do whatever you can to avoid that gunfire!" she shouted.

"Is something wrong, Jay?" Spriggan asked from the cabin.

"We uh…may be sitting in a literal bomb," she replied. Silence ticked by until Spriggan shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Wh-what!?"

"Don't panic, Sprig! We just gotta take care of those Bullheads. Get back here will you? I may need some help," Jay said. Spriggan came inside while Jay opened a nearby case. The truck rocked side to side, making it difficult for Jay to keep her balance. Cases of dust fell from the constant swaying, making her flinch every time.

"I thought we got through the worst of tonight. How stupid I was to think that," Spriggan muttered.

"Out of the frying pan into the fire, Daisy," Tephra said. Jay fished out two vials of ice dust. Tephra was right. They couldn't hope to outrun the Bullheads and it was only a matter of time before one of them hit the truck and vaporized everything unfortunate enough to be in the blast radius, including them.

Jay handed Spriggan the vials before grabbing two of her own, sliding them into a pouch on her belt.

"Sprig, you're with me. Tephra, stay here and protect the truck. Ritch, keep her steady!" Jay said, determination flaring in her tone. Tephra nodded and went to the back of the truck, kicking the double doors open and revealing the two Bullheads pursuing them. Jay and Spriggan went back to the driver's cabin, opening the passenger window.

"Don't get yourself hurt, Jay," Ritch told her. Jay threw him a small smile and nodded. She grabbed the top of the window and pulled herself out and up. The violent winds whipped against her as she stood on the truck. Spriggan followed after her, stopping by her side.

"And here I thought we were going to have a normal school life in Beacon," she said.

"We're huntresses, Sprig. We gave up normal a long time ago," she said. The two Bullheads flew closer, one slightly behind the other. Jay planted her feet, pointing the blade of her staff skywards. She ran towards the truck's end and thrusted her staff forward.

The blade fired out and impaled itself on the Bullhead's wing. The massive VTOL groaned like an injured animal. Its propellers pivoted towards them as the nose of the ship tilted upwards. The sudden jerk pulled Jay off her feet. Spriggan ran after her and jumped as Jay's feet ceased contact with the truck's roof.

Spriggan wrapped her arms around Jay's waist. Both girls held on for dear life as the Bullhead climbed higher into the air. Jay reeled herself in, climbing atop the wing. Spriggan let go of her waist and hoisted herself up, nearly falling over from the constant rocking of the VTOL.

"Jay, this has to be the stupidest thing we have ever done," she shouted over the roaring wind.

"It's only stupid if it doesn't work!" Jay said as she crawled on all fours towards the Bullhead's right propeller. She reached for the ice vial on her belt until the other Bullhead came into her sights. Its side doors opened and a squad of droids jumped out, brandishing their arm blades. Jay rolled back as a sword came down on her, the blade missing her by inches. She got to her feet and jumped forward, her staff angled for a stab to the midsection.

The droid parried her attack and swatted her staff away, following with a kick that sent her reeling back. The Bullhead suddenly tilted forward, knocking Jay off balance. The droid took its chance and closed in on her. Its sword slashed downwards only for Spriggan to catch it with her axe. She twisted the sword and yanked it up, leaving the droid's midsection exposed. Jay aimed her staff and shot her blade clean through it and into the head of a droid behind it. She reeled it back in, yanking the dead droid and crashing into its counterpart's back, sending it into a stumble.

Spriggan pulled Chrysolite free and swung at the droid's neck. The sword fell from its hand and its head rolled after it. The lifeless droid slumped over and tumbled off the Bullhead into the streets below.

Thumbing the switch near the head of her axe, Spriggan changed it to its shotgun form, quickly dispatching two more droids. Jay reoriented herself and jumped back into the fray, Spriggan following after her.

A small smile grew on Jay's face. She ran right at a droid and dropped into a slide, taking its feet out from under it and sending it flying into the air. Spriggan pointed her shotgun and shot a fist sized hole through its abdomen.

Spriggan ducked as a sword sailed over her. In one smooth motion, she reverted her shotgun back into an axe and swung upwards, severing its arm. The shaft of her axe smashed into the robot's face, forcing back as Jay drove her blade through its back and out its chassis. She kicked it free as Spriggan grabbed its dying body by the neck and flung it at another droid. Both toppled over, leaving them vulnerable as Jay drove her staff blade through them both.

Their teamwork was impeccable. They flowed like water, weaving around each other in constant motion while droids fell at their feet. They worked in perfect tandem, communicating their intentions without ever saying a word. Just like many times before, they were an unstoppable force.

Jay dared to call it a lethal harmony. They completed each other. Her fast and precise attacks flawlessly complimented Spriggan's more heavy-handed approach. Her agility and acrobatics lent itself to Spriggan's slow, but firm style. Grace danced with raw power every time they fought together.

She couldn't have asked for a better partner.

Jay adjusted her stance and maneuvered the end of her staff between a droid's legs. A quick swipe to the back of its mechanical joint dropped it to a knee. Jay moved out of the way just in time for Chrysolite to come down and cleave through the droid's head like an executioner. The droid emitted a high-pitched squeal as its electronic components popped and shot sparks from the wound.

Spriggan pulled her axe free and unceremoniously tipped the droid over with a boot. With the last of the droids taken care of, Jay made her way to the Bullhead's thruster. She fished out the vial of ice dust and threw it hard as hard as she could.

The bottle shattered into pieces. A thick layer of ice swallowed the thruster entirely. The sudden dying of the Bullhead's engine coupled with the added weight of the ice forced it into a tilt. Thinking fast, Jay buried the blade of her staff into the Bullhead's thick armor, holding on with all her might.

Spriggan kept a firm grip on one of the Bullhead's metal fins. She pulled her own vial of dust out from her pocket and hurled it at the remaining thruster.

Jay's stomach flipped when she heard the crack of glass and the dying whines of a frozen engine. Her heart leapt into her throat as gravity snared the VTOL back down to earth. The frantic beeping coming from the Bullhead's cockpit coincided with the pilot's even more panicked shouting. The Bullhead dipped down, plummeting into a collision course for the highway.

Yanking on her staff, Jay followed Spriggan as the both raced towards the end of the Bullhead. The other still flew high above them, firing its payload into the truck as Tephra deflected it with waves of ice and fire. Jay aimed her staff, took Spriggan's hand, and shot her blade.

She missed her mark. The blade flew wide as the Bullhead accelerated further down the highway without warning, turning to face the truck while flying backward.

Jay's heart skipped a beat. She could only hold on as they fell out of the sky. A sudden jolt knocked her into the air and the last thing she saw was the remaining Bullhead priming its turret to fire.

…

A raucous crash shook the road. Ritch didn't have time to look in the rear-view mirror. Not when he was staring down the last Bullhead as it charged them head on.

Tephra climbed back into the driver's cabin. Sweat trickled down her brow and her breathing was reduced to short, weak gasps. Her attempts to keep the truck protected kept them alive, but Ritch could tell she was exhausted, "I lost it. One of the Bullheads crashed into the highway, but I can't find the other one."

Ritch jerked the steering wheel to the side and slammed on the brakes. Tires squealed as he turned the truck around and sped towards the downed VTOL. Asphalt kicked up behind them as bullets rained down over them. Tephra was thrown back into her seat, grunting under the invisible force of shifting pressure.

"Nevermind. Found it," she said. Ritch swerved from one side of the road to the other, his knuckles turning white. Bullets pinged and tore through the truck's body. Thick black smoke poured out from underneath the truck's hood.

The crashed VTOL came into view. Jay and Spriggan were lying on the ground in front of it. Ritch cursed inwardly and jumped out of the driver's seat.

Sparks jumped from the Bullhead's destroyed console. Fires spread over its mangled body. The heat scalded Ritch's skin. He grabbed Jay and Spriggan by their arms and dragged them away from the wreckage. Tephra ran up to the flaming ship and doused the flames with bouts of ice. She reached inside the smoking remains and got the unconscious pilot out.

"Uh..wha-…o-ouch," Jay mumbled. Ritch rolled her onto her back. A few scrapes marred her skin, but her aura could easily heal it much to his relief. Spriggan pushed herself up. A green glow visibly pulsated from her body. It was a good sign. It meant that her aura had taken the brunt of the damage.

An intense light engulfed them. Ritch shielded his eyes. High above them was the last Bullhead, shining a spotlight on the four of them. Over the constant hum of its engines, he heard a metallic thunk reverberate from its steel belly.

"It's reloading. Tephra, stay with them," Ritch said. He walked towards the Bullhead, hand wrapping around the hilt of his sword.

"You better not get yourself killed, Golden Boy," Tephra said. Ritch shook his head, his eyes never leaving the Bullhead flying over them.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said under his breath. He reached deep down inside himself. Warmth spread over his chest. A brilliant luster shined across his sword as he pulled it from its scabbard. His aura coursed through his fingers, enveloping it in a gold glow.

Ritch pointed Au Helios at the Bullhead. Copies of his sword, formed from pure light, peeled themselves off of it. He waved his sword like a conductor, commanding the copies to gather in a large circle. Ritch held his sword in the air and brought it down.

The copies fired off in a barrage. Each one impaled itself into the Bullhead's thick armor, slicing through it like a hot knife on butter. It tried to back away, but Ritch's light swords followed after it, cutting the hull and smashing the thrusters.

Ritch held up two fingers, curling them towards his palm. Two of the swords swooped down and jammed themselves into the twin jets. A burst of flames exploded from within, the Bullhead losing altitude with every passing second.

A final whine of the engines signaled its demise. The Bullhead crashed into the street, rocking the entire freeway.

The light copies retreated and melded with Ritch's sword. The blinding light dulled and Ritch's sword reverted back to its normal state.

"Golden Boy…way to step up to the plate," Tephra snickered. Ritch turned to face them, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

"I just…figured since I had my hands free I'd…help out," he said. Jay rose to her feet and clapped Ritch on the shoulder.

"You took the initiative, Ritch. Did a pretty good job of it too. Nice work," she said. She glanced at the downed craft and sighed in relief only to have it knocked back out of her when the turret began to whir, "Ritch, get out of the way!"

The turret spewed another flurry of rounds. Jay tackled him to the ground, the bullets whizzing past her. She reached into her pouch and withdrew the last ice vial she had, "Tephra, take it down!"

Jay tossed the bottle into the air. Spriggan threw hers up, narrowly avoiding the onslaught of lead. Tephra planted her feet on the ground and raised her shield, bullets bouncing off it as she took command of the ice dust. A swipe of her hand was followed by the dust launching out of their containers and freezing the turret solid.

Spriggan charged the cockpit and broke through the windshield. The pilot tried to fight back, but Spriggan overpowered him, tossing him through the smashed windshield and out into the street. Before he had a chance to scurry away, she planted a foot on the small of his back and brought the other down on the back of his skull. The blow knocked him out, leaving him crumpled on the ground.

"I think it's time we call it a night," Spriggan said. Jay picked herself up and offered a hand to Ritch.

"Couldn't agree more. Let's get back to the truck, guys. The sooner we deal with Pyrite and get the info we need, the better I'll feel," Jay said. Everyone clambered inside and Ritch started the truck, steering them past the crashed VTOL's and down the street at a relaxed pace.

…

The door to Pyrite's office opened and Jay stepped inside with her team. Some of the guards visibly grew tense as she walked up to his desk. The rest of her team sat down, none of them saying a word. As usual, Pyrite was lounging on his chair, swirling a glass of wine in his bony hand.

Jay threw her White Fang mask on his desk. A large crack ran over its length, caused by Torchwick's surprise betrayal, "Your man wasn't the most loyal person."

Pyrite's gaze never left the mask in front of him. His face was still, much to Jay's surprise. Fingers traced over the crack on the mask until Pyrite pulled away and brought his fist down on it, shattering it into pieces, "What a foolish mistake on his part."

"There wasn't anything we could do. When we got into the vault, Torchwick betrayed us and locked us inside. I'm sorry, sir. We never got the payment," Ritch said as he stood before him. Pyrite's neutral expression didn't change, but he knew him long enough to notice the subtle creases of anger and the whitening of his knuckles.

"Trust a snake and you deserve the bite. But I'd be a fool to let it go unpunished," Pyrite said, snapping his fingers. The guard near the door froze, looking to the others in confusion.

"U-Uh, sir?"

"Fetch the man. Now," Pyrite said, his words sharp and cold. The guard quickly excused himself, leaving the others in a wary pause. Moments later, he came back, pushing a man with a burlap sack over his head. His fancy suit was bloodied and his wrists were held together by thick rope. Jay couldn't help but feel some sympathy for him. It was obvious from his limping that they had beaten him badly.

"So you're giving him to us anyways? Just like that?" she asked.

"Of course not, but I'm sure you'll agree that this night has gone wrong for the both of us. So allow me to make amends for putting you in such a situation," Pyrite said. Realization dawned in Jay's mind. He wasn't handing the man over for free. He was making another deal. Only this time, he was fulfilling his end first.

"You want something else now. You wouldn't give him away unless you were getting something out of it," Jay said.

"Believe me, when I say I have every intention of cooperating with you. Neither of us wish to end this night empty-handed, correct? I think we could both benefit from a mutually beneficial partnership," Pyrite said. Jay furrowed her brow. The offer was in their favor now, but for how long?

"So you hand this guy over, we get what we want, then what? What do you get out of this?" she asked. Pyrite cracked a lopsided grin.

"Your vow that when the time comes, you will assist me in dealing with Torchwick. We can't let his treachery go unpunished, now can we?" Pyrite said. Revenge, that was what he wanted. Jay should have known. Criminals lived all their lives backstabbing one another and repaying the favor in kind. Pyrite demanded payback, and she didn't blame him. She had to be honest with herself. She wouldn't mind hurting Torchwick either.

"You're dragging us into a gang war," Jay said. Pyrite was quick to respond, gesturing towards the man tied up.

"And you get your information without lifting a finger. If anything, I am the one risking a loss. All I ask is that you promise me you will lend me your aid when the time comes," he said. Jay stiffened her posture. She gauged Pyrite, but his face gave nothing away as usual. Something moved out of the corner of her eye and before she knew it, Tephra nudged her aside.

"Are you going to send us to fight White Fang?" she asked. Pyrite smirked.

"Absolutely. Torchwick, for whatever reason, has hired them as muscle. Odd that a Faunus supremacy group has decided serve under a human. Of course, it doesn't really matter. I'm sure all you care about is getting your revenge on Torchwick," Pyrite said.

"Tephra, let me handle this," Jay urged her. Tephra glanced at her before stepping back with a slight grimace on her face. Jay turned back to Pyrite, "Fine, we'll play along, but there better not be a catch to this. We're only helping you deal with Torchwick. That's it."

Pyrite smiled a crooked smile and snapped his fingers. The guard holding the chauffeur grabbed him by the arm and yanked him so that he was between Jay and Pyrite. The guard put him down on his knees before her. He yanked the sack off, revealing the bruised face of the man that she met in the alley. His dark hair was matted with dried blood and his left eye was swollen shut.

Despite his battered state, he smiled at her. More than a few of his teeth were missing.

"Well…this is awkward," he muttered. Jay exchanged a look with Ritch and she nodded. She stepped back. It wasn't her conversation to have. Ritch took her place, crossing his arms.

"Remember me?" he asked. The chauffeur narrowed his one good eye.

"High and mighty, Ritch Dorado. How's Beacon treating you? Gettin' the proper training to be a good lap dog?" he snickered. Ritch furrowed his brow. He crouched down so that he was at eye level with the man.

"I'm going to get to the point. You made a deal with those…cloaked people. You led me into a trap and nearly got my whole team killed," he said. The chauffeur shrugged, tapping his fingers against the back of one hand.

"Don't take it personally. Just business, really. They had the cash and all I had to do was lure you out. Perfectly legitimate. Don't know why, don't care. I got what I wanted," he said. Jay couldn't help but scoff. He was reminding her too much of Pyrite. She began to wonder if he hired people that reminded him of himself or molded them into being a blame-dodging thug.

"Who are they? How'd they connect you to me? Where did they go?" Ritch questioned.

"Don't know, don't know, and not telling. They said they'd cut my tongue out if I squawked. I prefer to keep it attached, y'know?" he said. The butt of a pistol smashed into the back of his head. The chauffeur slumped forward, reeling from the blow.

"They'll cut your tongue out, but I will dispose of you if you refuse to cooperate. Your choice," Pyrite interjected. The chauffeur spit on the floor. Jay cringed at the sight of blood staining the wooden planks.

Ritch ignored it and grabbed the chauffeur by the chin, forcing him to meet his eyes, "I don't want this to get any worse. Just answer me that one question and it will be enough."

The chauffeur looked at him, then at Jay, then back to him. He winced at the sound of a pistol being loaded.

"Alright, alright! They told me…they told me that if the plan went wrong before I could lure you out or if you somehow escaped, I had to meet them at a rendezvous point. Their base of operations, they said," he said. Ritch let him go, glaring daggers at him.

"Where is it?" he asked. The chauffeur hesitated, but the pistol's barrel pressing against the nape of his neck had him spewing his words out as fast as he could.

"Mountain Glenn! It was Mountain Glenn! " he shouted. Ritch pulled away, rising to his feet. Jay shifted in place. She wasn't sure if the chauffeur was telling the truth. Mountain Glenn was completely abandoned, left to the Grimm's mercy after it was overrun. While it sounded like a good place to hide, she had her doubts.

She shuddered when she thought of the fate that had befallen Mountain Glenn. Unconsciously, she rubbed her prosthetic arm. The thought of Grimm attacking a settlement made her stomach turn. It was a kind of horror that she didn't wish on anyone.

Jay blinked, and for a moment she saw soulless red eyes staring back at her. Shaking her head to rid the image, she addressed Pyrite, "That's all we need. We'll see ourselves out."

"Keep your promise in mind, Jay. Remember, we are in this together. If, for any reason, you end up backing away from our deal…well, you can already see the steps I've taken against Torchwick," Pyrite said. Jay chose to stay silent as she walked out with her team in toe. The boat ride back to Vale was silent, with Jay pondering over what they learned. If the people who attacked her were really in Mountain Glenn, she had to come up with a plan to attack them directly. The district was the most dangerous place in Vale and getting there wouldn't be easy. But she didn't have much of a choice. They had taken their first step in their fight. There was no turning back now.


	11. Stepping Stones

**What's up, everyone? Took a little doing, but I have brought a new chapter for you all! So go forth and frolic to your heart's content. Or skip. Whichever you find most fabulous.**

* * *

What Jay remembered most was the heat. Sometimes she'd remember smell of burning wood or the sound of other houses being torn to pieces, but the heat was always first thing.

Though she was native Valish, she'd never actually been to Vale City. Her whole life she had lived in Rue Village, running and playing like any child her age would do, attending classes in the small schoolhouse in the center of town. Her life was simple. She liked it that way.

Then it all came down in the span of one night. Grimm attacked from nowhere. The village was caught completely off-guard. Jay woke up to their vicious snarls and the villagers' cries for help.

Jay remembered that there was nothing she could do to help them. Her mother always told her to hide under her bed if the Grimm ever attacked. She never thought she'd have to. But there she was, lying down with her hands over her ears to block out the sounds of Grimm attacking the other people in the village.

She stayed there for what felt like hours. Her heart pounded in her chest. A sick feeling rose in her throat and she had to swallow to keep it down. Her mother had to come save her. She was a huntress. An amazing one. She would save her.

Jay remembered thinking that thought, right before her bedroom door was torn open. A Beowolf crawled inside, its sharp teeth gnashing twice. The monster sniffed the air. It could smell her. She knew it. But there was nothing she could do to help herself. Her body refused to move. Her eyes, filled with paralyzing fear, couldn't tear away from the Grimm slowly stalking towards her bed with a deep growl.

Jay remembered all of those things. But the biggest thing she remembered, the memory that still lingered on her mind years later, was the worst one of them all. Teeth sinking into her arm. And her own agonizing screams.

A loud bang pierced her ears and Jay acted on pure reflex. She shot straight up in her chair. Professor Pine was standing in front of her.

Her senses came back to her. She was sitting in class near the front of the amphitheater style rows. Her team was sitting to her right, staring at her with wide eyes.

Jay quickly became aware of the other students. All of them were gawking at her with shocked faces. The whole class was dead silent until Professor Pine cleared his throat.

"Ms. Atlantis, I sincerely hope you're not implying that my lecture is boring by sleeping in front of the entire class. Please try to refrain from being a bad role model," he said. A few students snickered. Jay could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, "Also, try to make more of an effort to stay awake. If you like, I could have Professor Oobleck share his coffee with you."

Jay's entire face turned red, her ears burning like a furnace. She frantically shook her head and wiped a thin line of drool from her mouth, "N-No, Professor Pine. That's okay. I'll try to stay awake, promise."

Her words came out as a mumbled mess. She couldn't deny that she was tired. It was already dawn by the time her team returned to Beacon. Jay tried to get some sleep, but any attempt at resting was shot down when the morning bell rang to signal the beginning of classes.

The entire day had been a game of taking stealth naps behind textbooks and pinching herself to stay awake during lectures. She managed to make it to the last class of the day, but her fatigue finally caught up to her.

Pine gave her a skeptical look but said nothing. With a simple shrug, he returned to his desk in the front of the class.

Jay bowed her head, rubbing her cheeks to try and compose herself. She could feel the eyes of the other students on her. Shaking her head, she focused on her notebook as Pine continued with his lesson, poking herself with her pencil every so often to make sure she didn't fall asleep again.

She unconsciously rubbed her prosthetic. The pain she felt so long ago was gone, but the damage still remained. A part of her was gone forever, like a bird with a clipped wing. She was reminded of that every time she took off her metal cast. Every time she woke up, the first thing she saw was glinting black metal instead of warm, soft skin.

She remembered the white walls of the hospital room, the powerful stench of antiseptic that stung her nostrils. Doctors told her what happened, but none of it made sense to her. It wasn't until she saw for herself did she realize.

Then came the anguish, the pain, the despair-filled shouts and crying. She remembered shaking her head over and over, hoping it was a sick joke. But all she had to do was look down to see that it wasn't.

Jay didn't remember much of what happened after that. Her consciousness faded in and out, reducing entire weeks to a giant blur in her mind. The earliest memory she could recall was her parents seeing her after she was taken out of Intensive Care. She'd never forget how grief-stricken her mother looked when she saw her. The regret in her eyes never fully went away after nine years.

Jay huffed, tapping the eraser of her pencil against a blank piece of paper. Her eyes darted towards the clock on the wall over and over. The urge to sleep gnawed at the edges of her mind, a yawn escaping her lips.

At least the dream reminded her that she hadn't talked to her parents since she entered Beacon. She made a mental note to call them when she had the chance.

The bell rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. All around her, students gathered their things and filed out of the room. Some of them glanced at her as they walked out, whispering to the others about something she couldn't hear. But it didn't take a genius to figure it out.

Slipping her notebook under her arm, Jay followed the rest of her team out into the halls. She lagged behind the rest of them, her head hung low. Her feet dragged behind her, a silent reminder that she needed rest.

Despite what happened the night before, Jay found herself smiling. They finally had a lead. The chauffer wasn't reliable by any stretch of the imagination, but it was better than going in circles until they were attacked again. Mountain Glenn was their next destination. Professor Oobleck mentioned it during his lectures about the kingdom's attempts at expansion, but he never went into explicit detail. But it didn't matter. There wasn't a single person in Vale that didn't know about Mountain Glenn.

It was meant to be both a test and a promise. To see if Vale was ready to move beyond its borders and into the open world and that they would never give in to their fear of the Grimm.

Mountain Glenn failed on both fronts. With no natural barriers, Grimm attacks were frequent. Their defenses were overwhelmed. People died, Mountain Glenn was abandoned, and Vale hadn't tried to expand since then.

Jay caught up with the rest of her team, tapping Spriggan on the shoulder, "Hey guys, think we can squeeze in some time to go to the library? We need to have a talk about what to do next."

Tephra and Ritch turned to face them. The bags under their eyes were hard to miss. Jay couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for pushing them even further.

"No rest for the weary huh, Chief?" Tephra said.

"I know you guys are tired. Believe me, I am too. But this isn't something that can wait. We've gotten what's probably our biggest break since this whole thing started. We need to capitalize on it before we lose our chance," she said.

"Kind of smart for them to hide out in Mountain Glenn. Close enough to slip into Vale undetected and far enough to avoid prying eyes. And the Grimm serve as a good natural deterrent to keep people away," Ritch said.

"That in itself warrants caution," Spriggan advised. She looked out one of the windows as they passed, seeing a throng of students exiting the lecture building and towards the dormitory wing, "Beacon does sponsor trips to Mountain Glenn, but only to upperclassmen. It's considered too dangerous for first years like us. If we're going to go in there, we need to be cautious and learn as much as we can about the area."

Jay nodded, striding towards the library with a sense of purpose. If they were going into Mountain Glenn, they were going to need as much information as they could get.

…

"As you should all know by now, Aura is central to your lives as Huntsmen. It's both your shield and sword. A little poetic, yes, but it's no less true," Pine said. He circled around his desk, checking his watch for the time. They only had twenty minutes of class left, but everyone looked eager to leave, "But of course, Aura is finite. Once it's gone, you're just as vulnerable as anyone else. So…Mr. Arc!"

At the mention of his name, a boy with scraggly blonde hair jumped in his seat, "Y-Yes, sir?"

Pine approached his desk at the front row. The young man named Jaune Arc sat up straighter under his piercing gaze. Flicking his stare to Jaune's partner he said to him, "Once Aura is depleted, how does one get it back?"

It was a basic question, almost an insulting one to ask anyone in Beacon. While Jaune was making great strides in his combat studies thanks to his partner, Pyrrha Nikos, he was still having trouble with his knowledge of Aura and Semblances. Pine hoped that she didn't neglect teaching him the things every Huntsmen learned their first year of training.

Jaune shifted in his seat, pursing his lips before saying, "U-Um, it recharges over time…right?"

Pine smiled on the inside. Jaune was right, but he wanted him to be more sure of himself, "I'm sorry Mr. Arc but I'm getting old. I'm going to need you to speak up."

"I-It recharges over time, sir," Jaune replied, louder than before. Pine came closer with a devilish smirk, cupping a hand next to his ear.

"More force, Mr. Arc. You're the leader of your team. Puff your chest out, show me some confidence, make me shiver in my boots," he said.

"It recharges over time, sir!" Jaune said, leaning out of his chair. Pine's ear ringed from the volume, but he wanted to push Jaune further. He threw his hands up in the air in a dramatic flourish, his grin growing wider.

"Shout it to the heavens!"

"IT RECHARGES OVER TIME, SIR!"

"That's what I want to hear!" Pine said with a laugh. Jaune sank back into his chair with a sheepish smile, Pyrrha giving him a playful shake of his shoulder. Pine returned to his desk and leaned back in his chair, "In case you didn't catch that, Aura regenerates over time. It's tied into a symbiotic relationship with your physical state. You can think of it like the gas in your tank. If it completely depleted, you're effectiveness on the battlefield will be severely hampered."

Pine took a quick drink from his mug, relishing the warm, bitter taste of his coffee. He observed the other students diligently taking notes until his eyes fell at the near front of the class where Team Jetbead was seated. His eyes narrowed at what he saw.

Jay had her head down and was snoring loud enough to wake an Ursa. The other members of her team weren't trying to wake her up. In fact, they all looked equally exhausted. Even the more studious members of the team were having trouble staying awake.

Tephra was resting her chin against the desk, facing in his direction. She always had her eyes closed, but Pine could tell that she was fast asleep. Ritch was trying his best to write his notes with a pen wrapped in a weak grip, but his eyes were clouded and his posture was slouched. Spriggan sat straight up with her arms crossed into a tight knot. Despite her rigid pose, her eyelids kept drooping and she nearly nodded off before jolting herself awake.

"In fact, if you take a quick look at page eighty-five in your textbook, you'll find Alabaster's Theorem for Aura Consumption," Pine rose from his chair, walking towards Team Jetbead as he went on with his lesson. Spriggan quickly noticed him. All the exhaustion disappeared from her face as she tried to give an excuse, but Pine silenced her with a finger against his lips, "Alabaster's Theorem describes how Aura activates in regards to force and area of effect. For example…"

Pine flicked Tephra on the forehead, startling her as she nearly fell out of her chair. The entire class erupted in laughter. Pine cracked a small grin, gesturing to the girl rubbing her forehead, "Ms. Nether's Aura didn't protect her because the force and area of effect was not sufficient enough to reach her Aura's activation point. Now if I had hit her with my mace, her Aura would have reacted and protected her. And I'd be out of a job."

Tephra scowled at him, but quickly hid it when he turned back to her.

"Sorry about making you part of the lesson, Ms. Nether. But try not to fall asleep in class again, hm?" Pine walked over to Jay's seat. Her brazen snoring was even louder up close. Pine grabbed Spriggan's Aura textbook, testing its weight by tossing it a few inches into the air. Then he raised it high over his head and brought it down.

A loud bang pierced his ears. Jay nearly jumped out of her chair. His eyes met hers. For a brief moment, he saw something he didn't expect. Fear.

A flicker of realization passed her face. The eyes that were focused on him darted in every direction. The fear was gone, replaced with the usual youthful energy she always had.

Pine cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to him, "Ms. Atlantis, while I'm sure that Professor Goodwitch would be impressed with your reaction time, please refrain from demonstrating on your instructors."

The thin blush grew on her face. Pine squeezed her hand just enough to keep her focused on him, "Also, try to make more of an effort to stay awake. If you like, I could have Professor Oobleck share his coffee with you."

Jay pulled her hand away and wiped her face clean. The terror in her eyes was gone, replaced with the usual youthful light that radiated from them, "N-No, Professor Pine. That's okay. I'll try to stay awake, promise."

Pine narrowed his eyes. She sounded worn out like the rest of her team, but he didn't want to make a scene in front of the other students. He nodded in understanding and continued with the rest of class while watching Team Jetbead out of the corner of his eye.

The bell rang sooner than he expected. Team Jetbead filed out with the rest of the students. Pine almost gave into the urge to go after them but thought better of it. It was better to leave them alone, at least for the time being.

He entered his private office at the back of the lecture hall. Turning his computer on, he grabbed his scroll activated a program hidden amongst the files and databases. He inserted the scroll into a port on his computer and the screen went blank.

Several lines of data flickered across the screen. His monitor flashed again, an image fizzling itself into existence. The figure slowly took shape: black hood, cracked white mask, and a single orange eye.

"Pine, we have a problem," Hecate said through the computer's speakers. Pine took one look at her damaged mask and nodded.

"I can tell. Not only have you seen better days but your targets are still attending class," he replied. Scorn flashed in her one visible eye, but her tone stayed calm.

"I need another opportunity. I wasn't prepared the first time, I'll admit that. But I won't make the same mistake twice," Hecate said. Pine pinched the bridge of his nose. For all her skill, Hecate had a terrible lack of patience. There was no doubt in his mind that Team Jetbead was on their guard now. Striking them when they're expecting it could only lead to disaster. And that was only if they ever decided to leave the safety of the academy.

"My hands are tied. There's nothing I can do that won't catch the attention of the other professors," Pine said. It was a lie. There was plenty he could do, but it all fell well below his moral standards. Even if he swore allegiance to the Macabre, he was still a Huntsman. He still wanted to help people, not kill them, but the other council members weren't so keen on his ideals

Hecate looked down at something off-screen, her frown growing wider. The calm in her voice wavered, "Do you know how Pepper is doing?"

Pine expected her to ask. She still cared about Pepper. He couldn't help but feel sympathy for her, knowing what was done to her and that she was sole reason for it. The Macabre were nothing short of brutal when it came to punishing traitors. Pepper didn't do herself any favors by betraying them to the Huntsmen. After Hecate captured her and brought her back, they all knew what would happen to her.

He read the reports. Pepper was re-educated according to the council. Whatever they did to her brought her to the brink of death. Hecate had been blaming herself since then, focusing on her training and her missions to distract her from what she saw as her own personal failure.

Pine didn't blame her. She did what she was told. He doubted she saw it the same way, though.

"Her condition is improving…slightly. Whether or not she'll make a full recovery is still up in the air. At best, we can hope that she does. At worst…" Pine trailed off.

"All that matters now is getting the Huntress she was working with," Hecate said. Her words were hollow like she didn't believe what she was saying, "Those Huntsmen, all of them, they need to go. They don't deserve the people's respect.

A long period of silence fell between them. Pine fixed her with a measured gaze. The confident, hard expression she usually wore underneath her mask rebuilt itself. Her fragile voice was replaced with a cold tone full of hatred, "If you can't help me, I'll do it myself. I won't rest until I see that Huntress dead."

With that the monitor shut off, darkness filling the room. Pine pulled the scroll from his computer and set it aside. Hecate was operating independently now. He didn't have a hand in whatever happened to Team Jetbead now. He should have felt relief, but instead he felt a heavy ball of dread grow in his chest. Targets or not, they were still his students.

"What a mess I've gotten myself in."

…

Jay sat at the end of a long table, resting her cheek in her hand and looking out a tall, arched window. The sun hung just above the horizon, bathing the area in a warm orange glow. The clamor of students in the halls was long gone, replaced with soft murmurs and the rustling of pages turning.

The library was massive, easily the largest one Jay had ever seen. The high ceiling and towering bookshelves made her seem tiny by comparison. Sitting near the balcony that overlooked the first floor, Jay spotted a few other students below her studying or quietly reading in rows of similar tables.

Stretching her arms, Jay yawned. Her spine cracked with a few satisfying pops. She undid the buttons of her uniform jacket and bunched it into a ball before collapsing in the soft pile, sighing contently.

"I don't think sleeping is allowed in the library, Jay," Ritch said across from her without looking up from his book. Jay glared at him over the folds of her vest.

"We just broke like twenty laws last night. One more won't kill us," she replied. Ritch prepared to reply, but Jay buried her face back into her jacket, covering her ears with her hands. Ritch tapped her on the shoulder. She didn't move an inch. He reached out and shook her, but was met with the same result.

"Man, she's being stubborn," he said. Next to him, Tephra sighed. She snapped her own book shut and leaned back into her chair. The table suddenly jostled and Jay shot up, rubbing her shin with a pained look on her face.

"Ow, what was that for?" she shouted. Tephra shrugged and another bang came from underneath the table. Jay hissed, pulling her other shin away and glaring daggers at Tephra, "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"

"Love you too, Chief," Tephra quipped. She picked up her book and continued running her fingers along the braille writing as if nothing ever happened. Jay rolled her eyes and returned to watching the trees outside sway against the wind. Ritch looked between them, his brow knit tight.

"Umm…Jay?" he said. She perked up, looking at him from the corners of her eyes.

"Yeah, what's up?" she asked. Ritch played with his feet, muttering something under his breath. Whatever he was trying to say was doing a good job of eluding him, "Are you…okay? I mean, in class, you were pretty shaken up. That's not even counting how you almost hit Professor Pine."

Jay's lips curled into a small frown. Her gaze fell to the wooden table as she drew patterns on it with her finger. It was only a matter of time until they asked. The incident in Pine's class had become the latest gossip for Beacon's students.

It wasn't long before the rumor mill started pumping out insane explanations for what happened. Jay didn't pay much attention to it and she certainly didn't want to entertain the other students with an excuse they wouldn't believe. But at the very least, her team deserved an explanation.

She closed her eyes. When she opened them, she gave Ritch a small, crestfallen smile, "I'm okay. Pine just kind of startled me. I wasn't having the most comforting dream so I guess I got a little jumpy."

Ritch raised a brow, leaning forward and crossing his arms on the dark oak of the table. Tephra seemed to take an interest as well. She lowered her book, her Faunus ears pointing in her direction.

"Well…I never told you guys how this happened, did I?" Jay pulled her glove off, flexing silicone fingers, "It happened nine years ago. Back then, I didn't live in Vale. I lived in some small settlement out in the middle of nowhere called Rue Village, wide open space, friendly people."

Jay clasped her hands together. She never talked much about her home before coming to Vale. Mostly because it wasn't something the people needed to know. Spriggan was the only person Jay told when they became best friends, "My mom was a Huntress, came from a long line of them. She thought the village was a good place to raise a kid. The Grimm didn't attack often and even if they did, she made short work of them. The people there loved her for that. She was the only Huntress who stayed to protect them instead of abandoning them like the kingdoms did."

Ritch had stayed silent, but something Jay said made him furrow his brow, "Wait…your mom _was _a Huntress? What do you mean?"

Jay gave a slow nod, "One night, she went off to thin out any Grimm wandering too close to the village. But while she was gone, a horde of them attacked. I remember waking up to them destroying everything…and killing people out in the streets."

Jay shuffled in her chair, the dead quiet settling in between them. The apologetic expressions on her friends' faces lingered on for longer than she wanted. It was impossible to tell whether to try to lighten the mood or just sit and power through. So instead, she looked them both in the eye, keep her tone as strong as she could.

"I tried to hide. My mom always told me to hide under my bed if they ever attacked the village. I remember…being scared. It was probably the most terrified I've ever been, "Jay remembered the feeling she had in her gut back then, the sinking pit in her stomach that exploded outward in a rush of adrenaline. It had never gone away since Rue Village was attacked. It was the instinct to survive, a remnant of her past that served her well as a Huntress in training, "I wanted it so bad to be a nightmare. Just something that was only a pinch away from being some nasty thing I'd forget. But all that screaming, all that suffering, I don't think I'll ever be able to erase it."

Her throat tightened as if her vocal chords were being stretched to the breaking point. Jay swallowed and continued on, her heart growing heavy with apprehension, "A Beowolf managed to force itself into my house. Then it came into my room. Then…this."

Jay held her arm out, "It got my scent off the bed and dragged me out. It didn't let go. It just…bit harder and harder. Next thing I know, my mom is standing over me and there was a dead Beowolf on my bed. I passed out from blood loss after that."

The silence that had fallen on her teammates stayed. Ritch's frown remained as he sat forward, "I'm…sorry to hear that."

"It's alright, guys, really. Don't get all mopey on my account. Sure it's hard to think about sometimes, but I shouldn't let it control me, right? I can brood all I want, but it's never going to make a difference. I just got to keep moving forward," Jay said. Ritch offered a small smile, and then he realized Jay never answered why her mother was no longer a Huntress.

A stack of books landed on the table between them. Spriggan sighed and collapsed into a chair next to Jay, wiping her brow, "I didn't realize the library had so many books on Mountain Glenn."

Jay grabbed one of the books and skimmed through it, "Some of this looks outdated. Back when Mountain Glenn wasn't a ghost town."

"I apologize. I just took whatever seemed relevant," Spriggan pulled out her scroll and expanded it to its larger, tablet form, "I did manage to download a current map of Mountain Glenn, however. It might come in handy."

Spriggan set her tablet in the middle of the table. An image of the dilapidated Mountain Glenn was displayed from a bird's eye view, "As you can see, Mountain Glenn served mostly as a commercial and residential district. So there are quite a few high-rises and skyscrapers where our targets can hide out in. Unfortunately, that poses a problem for us. If these people were smart enough to ambush us twice, they're probably smart enough to keep lookouts."

Jay studied the image. Most of Mountain Glenn was easy to navigate, but she could bet that their enemies knew that too, "If they do have lookouts, what are the odds they may have set up camp in one of the taller buildings? Some of these look like you can see all of Mountain Glenn from the top."

"If that turns out to be true, sneaking up on them may prove difficult. They may try to escape or even set up another trap if they spot us," Spriggan said. Ritch stroked his chin, his finger falling on the corner of the screen.

"This is near Vale, right? There's a collection of buildings here that are connected by sky bridges. We make it there, we may be able to scout out potential hideouts. Heck, if we're lucky, we may even see them before they see us," he said.

"Chorus Towers, a five-star hotel that catered to politicians and the upper class. That seems to be our best bet. We can plan out a proper plan of attack once we're situated here," Spriggan left a small yellow dot as she pressed a finger on the buildings Ritch pointed out.

"What else do we need to know?" Jay asked. Spriggan expanded the image to show the entirety of Vale City with Mountain Glenn near its southeast border.

"There's also the matter of how to get to Mountain Glenn. There are no streets or gates on the surface that can lead to it and I doubt that Beacon would allow us to borrow one of their Bullheads," she said. Ritch stroked his chin, appearing lost in thought.

"Our best bet is probably the metro tunnels. I remember a lot of people used them to get to Mountain Glenn to Vale. The only problem is that they were collapsed when everyone was pulled out to stop the Grimm from invading the city," he said.

"There may be a tunnel that wasn't collapsed completely or those guys may have to dug through the rubble. We just have to hope there's a way through for us," Jay said. She nodded to herself and raised her head to address her team, "Okay, so we'll go in through metro, come out near the edge of Mountain Glenn, get to the top of Chorus Towers, and move on from there. I want everyone to check their weapons and get a good night's sleep. We're leaving tomorrow."

"Jay, I don't think that's a good idea. We're still recovering from last night. Jumping back into the fight now would seem…well stupid," Spriggan said. Jay rose from her chair, planting her hands on the table and taking the time to look at each of them.

"I know, but we need to do this as soon as possible. We bag these guys now and we don't have to worry about them ever again," Jay said. Tephra spoke up.

"Chief, you do realize that it's going to take hours to even get to Mountain Glenn, right? Add on the time it takes to find them and the walk back and we're looking at an entire day of being gone. And there's also this weird obligation we all have called school. Have you heard of it? It's pretty important," she said with sarcasm dripping in every word. Ritch gave her a light tap to her arm with the back of his hand

"Tephra has a point, Jay. We should probably wait until the weekend. Gives us enough time to rest and nobody will notice us if we're gone the whole day," he added. Jay looked between them all and tugged on the ribbon of her uniform.

"Alright, alright, we'll wait to the weekend. Geez, there I go getting overruled by the people I'm supposed to be leading again," Jay muttered. Spriggan smiled and patted Jay on the shoulder.

"It's fine. We're just trying to do what we think is right. It's a good thing that we can all balance each other out. I suppose that's what Ozpin was aiming for when he put those relics on the pedestal," Spriggan said. Jay merely shrugged. Even if they had their differences in opinion, she trusted them to get the job done.

Spriggan settled herself back into her chair, producing a sheet of colorful paper from her breast pocket, "Well, with that out of the way, I was hoping we could talk about more lighthearted things."

Unfolding the piece of paper, she set it down for everyone to see. The words at the top of the page were written in a bold, eye-catching font.

_Come to Vale Central Gardens for a celebration of the Vytal Festival! Games, Food, and live music! Fun for all ages!_

"They're having a festival…to celebrate the Vytal festival?" Jay asked, cocking a brow. Despite the odd occasion, she couldn't deny that she found the idea appealing. Spending an afternoon with her team having fun for once made her bounce in her seat, "This sounds pretty awesome. The last time I ever went to an event for fun was Signal's Ice Cream Social."

"I seem to recall you not enjoying yourself that night. Particularly when the dancing started," Spriggan said. She was right. Jay did have a good time eating ice cream and chatting with friends. It was only when the school's fog machine broke down did the memory sour.

"I think you'd be annoyed too if you were roped into being a backup smoke machine," Jay said. She shuddered when she thought about how the two student organizers asked her nonstop for her help until she caved, "I pretty much kissed my social life goodbye after that. You know how humiliating it feels to have to sit under a stage and shoot smoke out of your fingers for an hour?"

"Wow Chief, good to see you're so into the school spirit," Tephra said.

"I thought it would be a fun idea for us all to go. I heard some of the other students were attending as well. After all the stress from the past few days, it would be good to unwind for a bit," Spriggan said. Jay showed a faint smile then addressed the rest of her team.

"Alright guys, consider this," Jay tapped the flyer with a confident smirk, "your reward for bearing through all this. Once the pre-festival rolls around, the food is on me."

The faces of her team brightened, her own smile growing wider. She couldn't help but feel glad to raise her team's morale. Through all the messes and all the fights they endured thus far, to be able to find some happiness was what they needed.

She looked out the window one more time as the others talked about the festival. The sun barely peeked out of the horizon, bright orange sunlight turning to a veil of violet as night fell. Stars twinkled in the sky, surrounding the bright shattered moon. Even in the darkness, there was light to be found.

They just had to look.


	12. What Wicked Things Have Wrought

**Hello, everyone! First, let me say that I'm very sorry for the lack of any updates. A combination of school, writer's block, rewrites, and Fallout 4 had delayed this significantly. Thankfully, I'll be able to churn these out a little quicker now that the load has been lessened. So thanks for your patience. Y'all deserve the shiniest of medals!**

* * *

Chapter 12: What Wicked Things Have Wrought

Jay dropped a book into the library's return chute. She had been reading as much about Mountain Glenn as she could for the past few days, spending more time on it rather than her actual studies. The weekend had come, and Team Jetbead was preparing for their excursion into the ruins of Vale's most notorious district.

Going over the plan in her head again as she walked towards the dormitory wing of the academy, Jay double-checked the buckles and straps of her form-fitting leather armor. She had done it so many times, she didn't have to think about it.

She turned a corner, fastening the last buckle on her armor, and almost stumbled into a taller man until he grabbed her by the shoulders.

Jay muttered an apology and tried to move on, but the man's strong grip kept her still. Jay directed her eyes up without lifting her chin, and sighed when she saw it was Professor Pine standing in front of her.

"H-Hey, professor. Sorry, I didn't see where I was going. I have a lot on my mind right now," she said. Pine furrowed his brow, letting her go and digging his hands into his dress slacks.

"Jay, have you been feeling alright? I've been worried about you considering…recent events," Pine said. She knew full well what he was referring to, her episode in his class. The rumors had gone as quickly as they came, but she wasn't surprised that he was still worried about her.

"I-It's nothing, professor. Work's been pretty taxing and leading my team is harder than I thought. But don't worry, I'll adapt. I always do," Jay said with a forced smile.

"It's not just you, Jay. Your entire team has been distracted. Officially, I'm supposed to snap at you and tell you to take your responsibilities more seriously, but I know you do. Both you and your team are hard workers. But you seem to have bitten off more than you can chew," Pine said. He checked to make sure they were alone before dropping his voice into a low whisper, "An old man can worry if he sees his pupils stumbling. I just want to make sure you don't fall to the ground."

"If I do, be sure to let me know. I'll pick myself back up," Jay said with a genuine smile. Her pocket ringed and Jay fished out her scroll. Excusing herself, Jay tapped the message waiting for her.

_Tephra and Ritch found something suspicious. One of the metro tunnel entrances in Sunflare Plaza was broken into. Could be a coincidence, but it's one of the few that lead to Mountain Glenn._

Jay reread the message again. She had sent Ritch and Tephra in advance to find any trace of their attackers, scouting every metro station that so much as shared a rail line with Mountain Glenn.

When the district fell, every station that connected it to Vale had its gate shut and the key thrown. But now it seemed that was no longer the case.

Jay typed in a quick response and lowered her Pine, she gave him a playful punch to the arm, "That's for embarrassing me in class."

"I didn't have to Jay. With your grades, you do it for me," Pine retorted. Jay took a step back with an overly-dramatic gasp.

"Professor Pine, such pointed words would degrade a man of your caliber," she said with a pompous tone. She clicked her tongue and patted him on the shoulder, her smile growing wider, "But I still find it funny. If I tried this with Professor Goodwitch, I'd be stuck in detention so long I'd forget what the sun looked like."

Jay took a glance at the time in the corner of her scroll's screen. The next airship would leave in twenty minutes. She dropped her scroll into her pocket and gave a short, respectful bow to Professor Pine, "I got to get going, professor. Sprig's waiting for me. We're having a nice team outing in the city and as leader, I got to make sure the others don't get too rowdy."

"Jay…" Pine trailed off. The worry on his face was as plain as day, "Take care of yourself. "

Pine left without another word. Jay watched him go, biting the inside of her cheek. For a brief moment, she worried if he somehow knew of what she was doing before dismissing the idea.

Jay headed in the opposite direction, mentally preparing herself for what was to she was younger, her mother always told her that Huntsmen were expected to adapt and improvise. Simply fighting wasn't enough to survive. A Huntsmen had to be cunning, intuitive, and once their prey was in sight, absolutely ruthless.

She was on the hunt now. Her prey wouldn't give up without a fight, but Jay didn't expect any less.

…

The moon hung high in the sky and casted a warm, silver glow over the skyscrapers of Mountain Glenn. The wind gave a soft howl as it came through the open window Jay was leaning against. She took a deep breath of fresh air, a stark contrast from the kind she was used to in Vale.

Night had fallen since they traveled through the metro tunnel. When they had arrived at Mountain Glenn it was worse than what she expected. The district had fallen into disarray. Grimm prowled around every corner, fighting for scraps or inhabiting gutted buildings.

Thankfully, Chorus Towers was relatively empty. After clearing out a small pack of Ursa, the team had made camp at the hotel's highest floor. The rest of her team had turned in for the night in their rooms, but Jay couldn't bring herself to do the same. She couldn't stop herself from letting out a long yawn, but even if her body was exhausted, her mind was moving at a frantic pace.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't on edge. Hour by hour, she had wandered the area, lost in her thoughts.

Heaving a sigh, she dropped her head into an open palm, massaging her temples to try and alleviate her doubts about what they were doing. The thought she may have made a wrong call didn't sit right with her. It was like a rock was sinking in her stomach.

She followed up on a lead, given to her by a lowlife Dust distributor, and now she was in the most dangerous place she'd ever been in, looking for someone that had outmatched her twice without breaking a sweat.

The apprehension she should have felt a long time ago came roaring at her. Jay shook her head to try and quiet her fears and turned her back on the window.

_Have I been an idiot all this time? _The answer eluded her. The fact that she may have led her whole team into a death trap made her sick. She walked back and forth in a furious pace, swallowing a deep breath that seemed to evaporate from her lungs the moment she took it.

"Shouldn't you be resting, Jay?"

She came to a sudden halt, glancing to her right. Ritch was leaning back against a wall with his arms crossed. The moonlight that bled through the windows washed over him, enveloping half his body in silver light while leaving a dark veil on the other side. His armor was gone, leaving him in just his long-sleeved black undershirt and a pair of dark jeans.

"I'd be asking you the same thing, Ritch. It's late. Go back to bed," Jay said with more harshness than she intended. She bit her tongue and forced herself to keep her tone sincere. "I don't want you losing sleep on my account, okay? Your wellbeing is important."

"Jay, you mean well, but sometimes you act a little too stubborn for your own good," Ritch replied. He was quick to add on to his statement when he saw Jay's glare bore into him, "I get that you're concerned, but your well being is just as important. I can't have our leader running herself ragged for one reason or another."

Jay didn't protest when Ritch came to her side. They both looked out the open window with a lull in their conversation Jay wasn't sure how to break. In a bid to get rid of the heavy silence, she took a step closer to him, her voice dropping to a whisper, "Do you ever feel like you're doing the right thing? Or that maybe...you're making a really big mistake."

The question caught Ritch by surprise as he crossed his arms. He opened and closed his mouth, "More often than not. I sometimes wonder if coming to Beacon was the right decision for me."

"Why's that?"

"People will shake my hand and tell me I'm a hero. Then ten minutes later I'm back in the slums, acting like someone I'm not, protecting people I don't need. When I see that life ahead of me, I can't help but want to turn my back on it," Ritch said. His voice was solemn, grave.

"But you're still here," Jay noted.

"Yeah, I am."

Jay turned back to the window, placing an arm against the wall next to it and looking out over the city, "Sorry for dragging you guys out here. This was never your problem to begin with. You and Tephra just...stumbled into it."

"Don't act like you owe us anything. It was the right thing to do. Tephra may not say it, but I know she feels the same way," Ritch quickly moved to allay her apology. Jay saw the determination in his eyes and heard the conviction in his voice. It still surprised her how resolute her team was in the face of inevitable danger. Ritch looked out over the city, "Whether or not we regret it at this point is irrelevant. We're here now, we know something is happening, and if no one else knows what's going on, we'd be idiots to ignore it ourselves."

Jay offered a small smile and turned to lean back against the window sill, the silver moonlight lighting the edges of her face in a haughty glow, "And what do you think of our chances? The four of us against an army, the stage in Mountain Glenn, with Grimm infesting every corner. Do you think we're being idiots now?"

"No, I think we're being Huntsmen," Ritch replied. Jay smiled at that. She faced him with a glint in her eye.

"Good answer, Golden Boy," she said. Ritch released an airy laugh and shook his head.

"Don't start with that. It's bad enough when Tephra does it," he said. A long yawn escaped his lips and Ritch stretched his arms, relishing the pops of his spine as his body relaxed into an easy posture.

"I'm going to catch some shut eye. Take it easy, alright? We have a long day tomorrow and there's no guarantee that it's going to go smoothly. So best take the chance to relax even a little bit tonight," he said with a nod. Giving her a quick 'goodnight', Ritch left her alone.

Jay spared one last scan of Mountain Glenn before sighing and going back to her room, unaware of the three figures standing on a nearby rooftop. One of them watched her leave through a pair of binoculars, a growl leaving his throat.

"No doubt about it. It's the same people that Hecate tried to kidnap," he said. He lowered his binoculars and turned to the other two in his group, "Scramble the men. I want this entire hotel covered within the hour. Snipers on the roofs, infantry on the ground to work their way up. Send a message to Hecate too, tell her the kids she's failed to capture are here."

"At once, Gris," one of the men said. The man named Gris turned back to the hotel, narrowing his cold gray eyes. Hecate was good, but she was too hot-headed to consider the ramifications of her actions. Now he had to clean up her mess. He jumped down from the roof, landing on the street and pulling his gilded saber free.

Gris looked around him. Numerous black figures jumped from rooftop to rooftop, some toting rifles and others carrying their personalized trick weapons. A group of them descended street level, catching the attention of nearby Grimm who were swiftly cut down without a sound. Despite the situation, Gris allowed himself a small sneer. If Hecate couldn't do her job correctly, he'd do it himself.

…

Jay's mind was still groggy as woke. She cracked one eye open, grimacing as she saw the moon still hovering in the sky. Her entire night had been a constant cycle of falling asleep and waking up again.

She huffed and pulled the comforter over her head, burrowing deeper into her pillow to try and force herself to fall asleep. When she heard the door to her room click open, she groaned.

"I'm not really in the mood to talk right now," she said. There was no response. Jay furrowed her brow. She expected a soft reply from Spriggan or even a snarky comeback from Tephra. Instead, she got nothing but silence.

Her covers were ripped away and Jay got one look at the black cloak before she tried to shout for help only to be stopped by a pair of hands wrapping around her throat. Her cry for help was choked from her lungs.

The man hovering over her put his full weight against her neck. Spikes of pain raced down Jay's throat as she struggled to use what little air she had.

"Just be quiet. It'll be over and you won't feel a thing." the man said, watching her struggle with cold blue eyes. Then realization dawned on Jay's face. He wasn't wearing a mask.

Jay lashed her own hands out, gouging the man's eyes with her thumbs. He cried out and loosened his grip just enough for her to breathe and think clearly. Letting go of one eye, she reached for her nightstand and swung the lamp with all the power she could muster. The ceramic shattered as Jay clubbed the man with it. The shards flew in every direction and Jay pressed her advantage, grabbing one and stabbing it into her attacker's side.

He howled in pan as he jerked back. Jay twisted around in the small space he made, bringing her elbow up and feeling it connect with her enemy's jaw. She turned in the other direction and landed an open-palm strike against the shard of ceramic still lodged in man's side, pushing it even deeper and forcing an even more guttural yell from him

Jay planted a foot against his stomach and kicked him off. She rolled off her bed, grabbing her staff and turning as her attacker pulled a pistol on her.

The survival instinct embedded in her during her time as a huntress in training focused all her frantic thoughts. The room was too small for her to dodge any incoming gunfire effectively. So she did the only thing she could do.

Jay dropped to the ground, a ball of smoke gathering in her hand. Bullets tore through the wall behind her as she landed on her stomach and slammed her hand on the floor. The gust of smoke exploded outwards, filling every inch of the room. The smoke caught her assailant by surprise. His pistol fired in random directions until his clip was empty, then Jay sprung into action.

Using the cover of her smoke, she swung her staff upwards into the man's crotch. He doubled over, hissing in pain as his pistol fell from his hands. Jay grabbed him by the face, channeling her aura into her arms and smashed his head against the door.

Jay rammed her shoulder into his stomach with enough force to break the door off its hinges, sending them both tumbling into the hall. Pure adrenaline rushed through her veins, and Jay acted without thought, grabbing the beaten man by the collar and slamming him against the wall.

"Who told you we were here? What are you after? Answer me!" she shouted, digging her blade against his neck. He struggled against her and Jay responded in kind. She replaced her blade with her forearm, crushing his neck and choking him the same way he did to her.

"You're not as subtle as you think. We knew you were here the second you stepped foot on Mountain Glenn," the man said through gritted teeth. Jay growled, throwing the man on the ground. He tried to scramble to his feet until Jay stomped on his back.

"Where are the rest of you? Who's in charge?" Jay demanded. Underneath her boot, the man snickered.

"I find it hard to take a kid seriously. I'll admit, though, you've got quite a reputation among the higher ups. Hecate's been wanting another shot at you, but not if Gris gets to you first." The man sneered. Jay glared at him, she reached down and wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling him up to his feet.

"They can both have their chance. All you have to do is tell me where they are," Jay responded. Before the man could answer, Jay heard the telltale clicks of rifles being loaded and aimed at her back.

Jay risked looking over her shoulder. Six men stood at the end of the hall peering at her through the sights of their rifles. Jay already knew they had her. At their range and her back to them, they could easily gun her down before she could so much as twitch. The man in her grasps knew it too as he wrenched himself free without an ounce of resistance from her.

"To be honest, I was expecting more of a fight. Guess you Huntsmen aren't all the legends make you out to be," the man stepped back towards the riflemen, giving them full permission to gun her down.

Jay kept her face neutral, never breaking eye contact with the gunmen. They were different than the cloaked men from before. Instead, they wore light, black padded armor with bandoliers and grenades strapped to their bodies.

Not thugs, she noticed. They held themselves like soldiers.

Jay's staff fell from her hands as she raised them into the air. Slowly, she dropped to her knees, keeping her hands at level with her shoulders.

"Fine, you win, but you'll regret this," Jay said in her best mock-resignation tone. She heard footsteps coming closer to her, but she didn't move a muscle. There was some truth to what the man said earlier. She was a kid. It was hard for them to take her seriously. She didn't look threatening to them, and that was their mistake.

When footsteps were at their loudest, Jay moved in the blink of an eye. Her hands slammed onto the floor and pushed her body up as she swung her legs. The gunmen behind her was too close to step back from the heel launched at his chin. Jay's other leg hooked itself onto his shoulder and yanked him down to her level.

Jay reoriented herself, grabbing his fallen rifle and aiming down the hall. Quick short bursts forced the gunmen back into cover behind jutting walls and into open rooms. The gunmen lying next to her made a grab for her rifle. Jay struggled against him, pinning it between herself and the floor to deny him any leverage.

Driving the butt of the rifle into his face, Jay heard a sick crunch and knew she had broken his nose. The man curled up into the fetal position, holding his bloodied face. Jay rolled up to her feet and hefted the rifle proper, firing another burst to keep the other gunmen at bay.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted her staff, then a window to her right. A plan unfolded itself in her head.

As soon as her magazine was spent, Jay grabbed her staff and ran for the window. The air around her turned hot with bullets zipping past her. She took one final step and hurled herself out the window, her aura flashing to protect her from the broken glass.

Jay went into freefall. She could barely open her eyes to see the ground coming at her in breakneck speed. Strands of smoke curled around her body, gathering together like a whirlpool in her hands. As she plummeted closer to the ground, she thrusted her arms forward and fired a geyser of smoke, slowing her fall.

The rush of air came to an abrupt end. Jay hit the ground in an explosion of blue smoke. The sheer force of the sudden stop left her crumpled on her hands and knees, her aura teetering on the razor thin line of shattering completely.

She forced herself up, gripping her staff tightly. Every instinct told her to regroup with her team, but she didn't know how. They didn't rush out from the commotion and they hadn't once tried to contact her. She grabbed her scroll out of her pocket and cursed under her breath. 'No Signal' beeped at the top of the screen, almost mocking her attempts.

Her mind raced in a blur, filled with half-finished thoughts. But one thing made itself clear. Staying around was no longer an option. It was only a matter of time before the Grimm were drawn from all the noise she made. She had to get to high ground.

Unbuckling her staff from her belt, Jay launched the blade into the brick wall of a building, near the top and rappelled up. She put her hands on her knees, taking large mouthfuls of air to calm her frenzied heart.

"You see it now, right? How little the Huntsmen are capable of doing?"

Jay gritted her teeth and turned around. A weathered, middle-aged man stood on the other side of the roof, a thin black cloak flowing from his right shoulder. The saber in his hand was curved and the blade was inlaid with dust crystals, glowing faintly with ominous power. The curious stare he gave her bore no malice, not like the others she'd seen.

"You're Gris, I presume?" Jay speculated. The man tilted his head to the side.

"I am and you're Jay Atlantis. Leader of Team Jetbead and the most stubborn hostage I've had the displeasure of dealing with."

"Oh...you're trying to take me hostage? Cause you're doing a terrible job so far," Jay retorted.

"Hecate warned us you were talented. In her own perturbed way. You've gotten lucky thus far, evading her twice and managing to find us, but that ends here," Gris said. He walked to the left and Jay mimicked his motion, moving to the right as they circled around each other, daring the other to make the first move.

"Why do you need hostages? Whose attention are you trying to get? Ozpin's?" she asked. Gris moved forward and made an obvious swipe to her side. Jay blocked it with ease and retaliated with her own thrust of her staff. Gris leaned to the side and the blade sailed past his head. He took a step back, twirling his sword in his hand.

He was testing her or toying with her. Judging from the relaxed posture he had, Jay was willing to bet it was both.

"No, not Ozpin. It's the others. The Huntsmen and Huntresses that started this fight, the ones that put their own needs ahead of everyone else's," Gris feigned a thrust as Jay moved to dodge and kicked her exposed side, forcing her into a defensive stance.

Jay dashed forward, burying her blade into the roof and vaulting herself at Gris. Her legs struck his chest as he stumbled back. Jay landed and swung her staff out, catching Gris' sword and locking them in a battle for leverage.

"The Grimm...they can take Vale. Did you know that? As talented as the Huntsmen are, they can only do so much against these...things," Gris said, "I've fought them for years. I've cut down entire armies of them by myself and they're still here. Still terrorizing. Still killing."

The cold hatred in his voice grew, "The Huntsmen's way isn't working. People out there are still dying and they aren't lifting a finger to help. But you don't care about them, do you? All you care about are the people already in Vale. When Mountain Glenn fell, the Huntsmen used it to scare themselves into never stepping foot outside Vale again. "

Anger boiled in Jay's chest. Her fingers dug into her palms so tightly her knuckles turned white. The words she shouted dripped with barely concealed rage, "What the hell do you know?! You're not a Huntsman! We'd save everyone if we could. Which is more than I can say for you guys."

The twitch on Gris' lip told her she had struck a nerve. She studied the man carefully for his reaction, but the grimace was gone just as quick as it arrived.

The man's hand blurred as flashing steel came at her. Jay took a quick step back, feeling the air whistle from the blade missing her neck. As soon as the blade cleared, Jay jumped forward, driving her knee into the Gris' stomach.

She dashed in, throwing a quick series of jabs to keep him off balance. But Gris blocked the attack as her fists struck the meat of his arms. He spun around as his sword arm came sailing down at Jay's head.

Jay brought up her armored cast, the sword clashed against golden metal and brought it to a halt. Twirling her arm, Jay grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him in. She threw her head forward and smashed her head against his.

Gris stumbled back and Jay did held her staff at the ready, she glared at Gris regaining his composure. She sized him up, watching as he adjusted his stance and held his sword at the ready. Then all at once they charged each other again in a flurry of swipes and parries.

Jay danced around her opponent, trying to find a weak point she could exploit. Her blade met his again and to her surprise, he angled his sword down and made a quick thrust into her shoulder. Pain exploded in her body as she instinctively tried to pull her shoulder away, but the man in front of her was expecting it. A blinding light flashed between them and Jay realized too late that the dust crystals in his sword had activated. Her wounded shoulder was encased in a thick shell of ice. The added weight as she pulled away and the surprise of the attack threw Jay off balance as she fell back against the roof's edge.

Before she could recover, Gris grabbed her collar and pushed. Jay's feet ceased touching the ground as most of her body dangled over the alley below. Then she heard the sound she least wanted to hear. A discord of Grimm howls.

A horde of Grimm were gathered beneath her, the jaws snapping with razor sharp teeth. Their claws rose into the air, scraping against the brick wall like nails on a chalkboard.

"Impressive, but ultimately you fell short," Gris said. He pushed her farther away from the roof's edge, enticing the Grimm beneath her even further, "Hecate said we needed Huntsmen alive, but you've become too much of an annoyance. Your other friends will have to do."

Jay squirmed, but she willed herself not to look as scared as she was. The man had a firm grip on the arm that held her staff. No matter what, Jay couldn't let it go, but it was a matter of time before the man let her go to the Grimm's mercy.

"Wait!" she shouted. The man stopped, confusion etched on his features "You need me. My team isn't going to just surrender. They won't stop fighting until you're dead or they are."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

"I'm their leader. They obey every word I give them. If you let me go, you lose the only chance you have of making them stand down. Then you get to explain to Hecate how you blew your mission," she retorted. Gris tilted his head to the side with a frown. It was a gamble. She was cut off from her team. For all she knew, they were already captured.

"Now you want to help us all of the sudden. You couldn't be more blatant about your trap if you tried," he replied.

"You can let me give the order to surrender or you can waste your time, energy, and men trying to do it yourself," Jay shot back. She let her words sink in for a moment before adding, "And there's no guarantee you'll be able to do that."

Jay didn't falter under the tense silence. She waited, desperately, for an answer. The man grunted and pulled her back in. Jay didn't resist as he pulled her staff from her hands and buckled it to his own belt.

"I don't like being played. I hope you remember that," the man said, letting his threat hang in the air as he pulled out his sword again. He jabbed her side, beckoning her to move, "You'll understand if I prefer for you to walk ahead of me."

Jay reluctantly let him have his way. Walking with him behind her, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves and started to think.


	13. Unbowed

**Feel free to take a stick and beat me with it until I understand what the words 'Time Management' mean. Still, I've managed to get this out. So I at least got that going for me. Which is nice.**

**Jack Hunter: Yeah that's what being gone for months does to you. Hopefully, I can shake off the rust in due time and get back into the swing of things. Especially now that...stuff's...gonna happen. You didn't hear it from me, though. No siree.**

* * *

Chapter 13: Unbowed

Spriggan hunched down under the receptionist desk as bullets whizzed over her head. Her unknown assailants shouted orders to flank her. She cradled Chrysolite in its shotgun form and popped out of cover, pumping shell after shell to keep them back.

Her aura flashed and Spriggan dropped down as bullets tore through the mahogany desk, sending splinters in every direction. She glanced to her right and broke into a run towards a support pillar, firing her shotgun wildly in the attackers' direction. The moment she pressed her back against the pillar, a cylindrical object rolled on the ground next to her. Spriggan barely had time to cover her eyes before the stun grenade detonated.

Her ears rang from the concussive force. The blast left her disoriented and she stumbled to the ground. Her head throbbed painfully. It felt like she had been chewing on tinfoil. She cracked a single eye open, spotting two black-clad figures advancing on her position.

A bolt of lightning shot out beside her. It struck the nearest soldier in the chest, launching him back into a wall. The other screamed in agony when a crossbow bolt pierced his kneecap and he fell to the ground.

Tephra and Ritch ran in with their weapons raised. Bullets ricocheted off of Tephra's shield as she erected a wall of ice next to Spriggan, using it as cover while Ritch laid down suppressing fire with his crossbow.

"Holding down the fort, Daisy?" Tephra remarked. Spriggan reloaded her shotgun and fired at a nearby soldier trying to sneak up on them. The sheer force of the blast threw him off his feet, his aura barely saving his life

"Where's Jay? Have either of you seen her?" she asked. Ritch hunkered down as the soldiers returned fire.

"We thought she was with you," he answered. Spriggan sighed, trying to get her bearings on the situation. She peeked out of cover, firing her shotgun to keep the soldiers pinned down.

"The first thing we need to focus on are them. If Jay is still on the top floor, she's probably making her way down here as we speak. We need to head back up and meet her halfway. But first we need to make sure they don't shoot us in the back.," she said, motioning to the soldiers on the other side of the lobby. Tephra popped out of cover and fired a stream of electrical Dust across the floor.

The Dust sparked to life, throwing arcs of lightning across the room. One bolt caught a witless soldier. He dropped to the ground like a rock, his body seizing up from the residual electricity.

Risking a peek, Spriggan leaned out of cover. She spotted three soldiers staying behind cover as Ritch and Tephra applied more suppressing fire with their crossbow bolts and Dust. Chrysolite transformed in her hands into its axe form and rushed out of cover.

She came upon the nearest soldier. His eyes widened as he fumbled to bring his rifle up. Spriggan swung her axe low, the shaft taking the man's feet out from under him and leaving him vulnerable. Spriggan followed her momentum, bringing her axe up and driving the head of her weapon into his spine.

A spray of bullets were fired in her direction, but Spriggan was already on the move. She weaved between the rows of pillars, shards of plaster and ceramic exploding behind her as bullets tore through the wall next to her.

Her legs pumped furiously as she crossed the room and neared the shooter. She raised her axe and threw it with all the force she could muster. The massive weapon sailed end over end and the black-clad soldier sidestepped out of its path, but Spriggan counted on it. The man, still trying to maintain his balance after dodging the flying axe, couldn't recover fast enough. Spriggan kicked his knee at an angle, toppling him to the floor and gave him a swift punch to the face to keep him down.

Behind her, the last soldier aimed the muzzle of his rifle at the back of her head with his finger on the trigger until a wave of ice washed over him, freezing him on the spot. Tephra walked out of her cover, hand raised for any more soldiers that could have remained.

"We're clear. Quickly, we have to get upstairs and regroup with Jay," Spriggan said as she grabbed her axe and headed for the stairs.

The front door to the lobby was kicked open and Spriggan whipped around ready to pummel whoever came through, but her stance dropped as her eyes went wide at the sight of Jay being pushed inside with her hands raised. Spriggan breathed a sigh of relief, but her breath hitched in her throat when she saw the black cloaked man coming in after her, the tip of his sword digging into Jay's back.

"Let her go now!" Spriggan demanded. The man stared at her for a moment before his gaze fell to his incapacitated comrades scattered across the lobby. Jay noticed as well and couldn't help but smirk.

"I told you they wouldn't go down easy," she remarked.

"Then you'll be useful after all," was the Gris' curt reply. Jay couldn't get a word out as Spriggan charged him with her axe held high. Gris pulled Jay between himself and Spriggan, placing his sword against her neck, "Don't be stupid."

Spriggan's body screamed at her to attack. She took another step and Gris' sword dug into Jay's neck even further. The barely constrained hiss that left Jay's lips fueled Spriggan's anger, her fists tightening around the handle of her axe.

She could do it. All it took was one small opening and she'd save her best friend. A distraction or Jay struggling for a second would be enough to end it. But Jay did nothing. It was completely unlike her.

"Don't do anything you'll regret," Spriggan came back to her senses, turning to look at her captive friend. Their eyes met for a brief moment until Jay lowered her gaze to the floor, "Put your axe down and surrender. I'm not risking all our lives for this."

"Wh-what? But-"

"We'll find a way out of this, I promise. But right now, I need you to listen to me," Jay said. Tephra furrowed her brow and took a step forward. Jay winced when the blade nicked her skin a little more.

"Chief, what-"

"I'm not asking, Tephra. I'm telling all of you to drop your weapons," Jay said in the tone she used to give orders. An internal war raged in Spriggan's head. The man holding his sword to Jay's throat watched them carefully, his entire posture subtly warning them that one wrong move would end her life. Spriggan looked over her shoulder, her chest wrenching with the smallest feeling of betrayal as she watched Ritch and Tephra drop their weapons with reluctance.

"Sprig, please. Trust me," Jay said, her voice growing soft with every word. Spriggan's axe fell from her hands, the heavy pounding echoing in the dead silence. Satisfied, Gris pulled his sword away, using the same hand to snap his fingers. The front doors were kicked open and a dozen more soldiers filed in with their rifles raised, surrounding Jay's team and securing their weapons.

Jay couldn't even look at Spriggan as she was subdued and had her wrists tied behind her back. Gris roughly pulled her back out into the street with the rest of her team. The soldiers moved at a quick pace, keeping Jay and her team in the center of their group.

She had to fight to keep the feeling in her arms. The thick rope that bound them dug into her skin with every small movement she made. And every time she tried to stretch her arms to maybe loosen the knots, her skin was rubbed raw.

As they weaved through the desolate streets, Jay kept her head down. The clacking of boots and the howls of wind passing through gutted buildings was all that passed through the city. Her team followed close behind, but she didn't talk to them. With so many people nearby, getting any sort of message to them would have been impossible.

Eventually, they came upon an open plaza with a single large building standing at its center. At the very top of the building was a faded metal sign, slightly bent and rusted but still readable.

_Mountain Glenn Public Library_

Jay shuddered when she recalled the name. She had learned about the library during her time researching Mountain Glenn. One of the last few shelters left above ground, close to a hundred people took shelter inside when the Grimm invaded. Though it was fortified with heavy doors and tall, imposing stone walls, it did little when faced with the full fury of the creatures of darkness.

Two soldiers ahead of her opened the large wooden doors. The rusted hinges groaned in protest and in the dead quiet, it sounded like an alarm had been set off in the city. Jay expected the Grimm to rush out like they had when Mountain Glenn was still inhabited.

Inside, Jay's team was herded into the main room. A large open space greeted her with a high concave ceiling. The room was filled with shelves holding tattered books, the covers illegible from the passage of time. Tables covered in dust were haphazardly strewn through the area. Weapons, ammunition, and dust crystals of all types and sizes were scattered over their surfaces.

Jay turned her attention forward. In front of her stood a massive statue, depicting a tall older woman with wings on her back spread out and a sword in each hand. Gris was standing at the statue's base, his saber in hand.

"Do you know where we are?" he asked. Jay didn't answer him, too jaded to allow him the satisfaction of a response.

"Mountain Glenn Public Library. Back when the Grimm invaded, this building was one of the few safe havens left," Gris jerked his chin towards a nearby clawmark, "As you can see, that's no longer the case."

"Let me guess, you're going to go on another tirade about how this was all our fault, right?" Jay said. The corners of Gris' lips tugged slightly.

"You're quick to assume. No, I had something else in mind," he said. He walked towards them, sheathing his saber as he stopped in front of Jay, "You've been awfully quick to defend the Huntsmen. I heard it in the way you spoke, as if everything I said was directed at you personally."

Jay stayed silent. Gris walked around her, searching for the tiniest reaction he could glean from her, "It was interesting to say the least. At first, I chalked it up to you being fanatically devoted to the Huntsmen. But that wasn't it. At least, not all of it."

The more he spoke, the more Jay realized what he was leading to. She lifted her head with a dangerous scowl, "You're have no idea what-"

"I'm talking about? On the contrary, I know well enough. Your name, Atlantis, I've heard it before and that name hasn't been acknowledged for almost a decade with good reason," Gris nodded to himself. He motioned to two guards near the door. They grabbed her by the arms and dragged her to the base of the statue, undoing the rope as they went.

"The last time I heard it was when Raine Atlantis was put on trial for abandoning her duties as a Huntress. Leaving an entire village to the Grimm's mercy to save her dying child, " In one smooth motion, Gris pried off the golden metal cast that sealed away her prosthetic. A grimace crossed his features as he laid eyes on it, "Innocent people were dying in that attack. Your mother knew that. She knew it and she left them anyways."

"It wasn't an easy choice!"

"It was a selfish one. One that threw the entire Huntsmen Order into question after they intervened to keep her from facing proper justice," Gris replied. Anger flashed in his gaze, burning like a sun as he faced her, "Whatever happened to her, it was a slap on the wrist compared to what others had to go through."

Jay wrestled for control, but Gris' strength outmatched hers. Her feet slipped out from under her and Jay was tossed over Gris' shoulder, slamming into the ground as a thick cloud of dust flung up from the impact. A heavy boot pinned where her human arm met her shoulder and Gris took hold of her wrist as if to tear it from her socket.

Her exhausted body cried out from the pain searing up and down her arm. Jay couldn't stop herself from doing the same.

A high pitched whine pierced Jay's ears. It took her a moment to realize that the noise was coming from Gris' sword. The Dust crystals in its blade came to life, engulfing it in flames.

"They deserve to be avenged. They had their lives taken from them by a selfish, cowardly murderer."

The flames licking off Gris' sword came closer to Jay's arm. The heat alone made her flinch. All at once she cursed herself for getting her team killed in a dead city surrounded by Grimm.

The thought burrowed in her mind, and before Jay could even doubt herself, she spoke, "They don't deserve anything!"

"What?"

The blade retreated enough for Jay to lock eyes with him. The hand he held clenched itself into a tight fist and her face contorted into one of hate, "They were worthless. Their lives didn't matter at all, just like yours."

Gris' frown twisted into a look of utter fury, but Jay didn't let up, "And you know what? I'm glad they died. I got to live and that's all that matters. The Huntsmen knew my mom made the right call, that's why she got out of a sentence. Hell, that's why I joined them."

The fire in Gris' sword intensified with his seething rage. Jay reveled in it. She encouraged his negative emotions.

"How dare you belittle all those people!"

"Because it was my right to live. Not theirs. And you? You're just trying to play the hero, getting a high off of your revenge fantasies because that's the only way you can deal with the real world," Jay sneered. Outside she heard the muffled growls of Grimm as they came ever closer to the source of negativity. She lifted her head slightly, giving her every word emphasis, "You're not a hero. You're the dirt that the hero scrapes off her boots."

Jay could feel the pure hate radiating from Gris. He raised his sword into the air, high above his head.

"You little bi-"

The front doors exploded into pieces. Grimm poured into the building, mauling the soldiers who were too slow to react. Distracted, Gris didn't notice Jay use her free arm to pull her staff off his belt.

A sharp _thwack_ hit his elbow. Gris grunted, trying to bring his sword down on her, but the blow to his arm loosened his grip. Jay pulled herself free and rolled backwards onto the balls of her feet. The air surged with heat and Gris' flaming sword stabbed through the wooden floorboards moments later. Jay half-expected the first sound she'd hear to be Gris giving the order to shoot them. Instead, she heard the distinctive crackle of a raging fire.

The inferno spread over the wooden floor, consuming everything in its path like a hungry beast. The fire grabbed low hanging curtains and bookshelves, feeding the blaze as it grew in size and intensity. Jay felt the moisture being sucked from her throat as smoke invaded her lungs. The sound of wood splintering caught her attention. High above her, the ceiling was swallowed by fire. The supports, already rotted from years of wear, easily fell apart. Jay jumped back. A heavy beam slammed into the floor. The fire surrounding it spread even further, swallowing an entire wall of the main room.

Smoke clogged her vision as Jay struggled to breathe. Rising to her feet and attaching the metal cast back over her arm, she peered through the oppressive fires, blinking away the sting in her eyes. The room was becoming unbearably hot. Between the fire and the decaying building, it wouldn't be long before it collapsed all around her.

The flames sputtered closer and Jay forced herself to move between two bookcases to shield herself from the heat. She weaved through the maze of shelves, trying to ignore the screams and the wet tearing that ended them.

She heard the footsteps coming from behind and whirled around as Gris tackled her through a bookshelf. Jay gasped, the air being knocked from her already burning lungs. She willed herself not to pass out when she hit the charred ground.

A pounding thump vibrates against Jay's stomach as Gris fist smashed against it. The hard punch sent a blast of nausea up her body. Bright lights filled her vision, blurring the fire that had managed the consume the roof above them.

"You know it as well as I do. The Huntsmen aren't going to save humanity. Not when people like you and your mother join up with them," Gris growled as he got up and pulled his sword free, its blade glowing an angry red.

Jay's eyes focused on him. With her aura pulsing through her body, Jay sprang up to her feet and raised her staff.

"There really is only one option left. Wipe the slate clean. If the Huntsmen won't do their job, the Macabre will do it for them," Gris said.

"Just try it," Jay hissed back. Despite the scorching heat in the room, her tone was icy. Jay pulled her scarf over her nose to breathe in the smoke clogged room, holding her staff in front of her as Gris swung his sword.

His sword locked with her staff, forcing Jay back against a burning bookcase. Her eyes widened as his sword came dangerously close to her face. Even as her aura shielded her from the fire, she felt its bite sear across her back. Jay screamed out; her basest instinct took over.

Launching a knee to his stomach, Jay put distance between them and hobbled away from the fire. Each step sent a fresh spear of pain over her back. She coughed, catching the stench of her scorched armor.

Gris dashed to her left for a diagonal slash. Jay maintained a loose grip on her staff with her left hand and kept it tight in her other. When his sword made contact with her staff, Jay used his momentum and spun around him, driving the blunt end of her staff into his spine. The blow sent Gris stumbling, the pain barely registering on his face.

He adjusted his hold on his sword. The blade emitted a low whine and was filled with a bright yellow light. He thrusted it forward, unleashing a dazzling storm of electricity. The sheer power barrelled towards Jay and her body went rigid with thousands of volts penetrating her aura. Breathtaking amounts of pain coursed through her.

Jay fell to one knee, her muscles twitching sporadically. It took all her willpower not to crumple on the ground like a defenseless animal. Gris came up to her in a wolfish stride, the tip of his sword swaying from side to side as he struggled to breathe in the toxic air.

The blade of his sword crackled with barely restrained electric energy. Small arcs danced across its surface. Gris sneered at her one last time and thrusted his sword forward.

A flash of green appeared in front of her. Metal clashed with the vibrant green blades of an axe. Gris stared down the other girl who blocked him, her emerald eyes burning with determination.

Spriggan took a half-step forward, heaving with all her strength. Despite his height over the girl, Gris was forced back, his feet scraping against the scorched wood. To his surprise, Spriggan dropped her stance and brought the pommel of her axe up, smashing it into the side of his head.

In an instant, Spriggan's axe turned back into a shotgun and she pulled the trigger. The sheer velocity of the shells at close range blasted Gris off his feet into a wall.

Gris pushed himself up, sucking in a shallow breath. Jay seized the chance, aiming her staff at his cloak and firing. The blade hit home, pinning the fabric and him against the wall.

With a swipe of his arm, Gris cut the fabric in half, pirouetting with the swing and catching Spriggan across the abdomen. Electricity discharged across her body like a taser and she doubled over from the intense voltage.

Jay kicked off the ground, closing in the distance, and struck Gris in the chin with the toes of her boot. As she landed, she whipped the chain of her staff in a whirlwind. The unpredictable patterns disoriented Gris. He lost sight of the blade as it cut through the bookcase behind him and struck him across the side when she pulled it back.

Spriggan summoned her last bits of strength and grabbed Gris by the neck as he stumbled towards her, picking him up off his feet and slamming him in the ground. The wooden floorboards cracked underneath him, splintering into dozens of pieces.

Gris made a choking noise deep in his throat. His sword rolled away from his limp hand. Sensing the fight was over, Jay took one step forward and immediately retreated when she saw him cough up droplets of blood. The corners of his lips were stained with a deep red froth and his body shook.

"We have to get him out of here," Jay said, her voice muffled behind her scarf. Spriggan threw her a bewildered look. Even if she said nothing, Jay knew her well enough to notice she was hesitant about the idea.

"We aren't falling to his level," she said simply. Spriggan ultimately complied, putting her axe away and taking Gris by his wrists. They pulled him off the ground and hurried through the burning husk as it collapsed around them. Corpses of both men and Grimm were scattered across the room and for once Jay was thankful that the smoke was too thick for her to smell the scent of death lingering.

Reaching the front doors, Jay kicked them open and hurried down the wide marble steps that led to the plaza. Ritch and Tephra were waiting for them at the bottom, curiously with several of Gris' men trapped in ice around them.

The moment Ritch laid eyes on them, he narrowed his eyes. Tephra's own blank face faltered for a split-second before returning to its usual impassive expression.

"Yeah, yeah, don't lecture me about bringing him back, but I'm not willing to have someone's blood on my hands just yet," Jay said. She and Spriggan took gentle care in dropping him to the ground. His chest still heaved with shallow breaths, his eyes narrow slits of grey.

Jay dropped to her knees, placing her hands over Gris' chest and spreading her fingers wide. A soft, blue light streamed from her palms and spread over his body. The flood of aura steadied his breathing. His body twitched minutely and his hands closed into loose fists clawing at the stone floor.

"Ritch, look through his pockets. I don't want a knife in the ribs the second he comes around," Jay said without taking her eyes off him. At her command, Ritch knelt down on his other side and rifled through his clothing, pulling out dust crystals, small food packs, and a handful of ammunition.

"You...you should have left me to die," Gris croaked out. Jay closed her eyes, concentrating on transferring her aura rather than what he was saying.

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not that kind of person," she replied. Ritch dug into Gris' pants pocket. His fingers grazed a rectangular object and he fished it out. He gave it a careful look, examining every angle in case it was somehow rigged to explode, before speaking.

"Jay, you need to see this," he said, tossing the object to her. Jay caught it with one hand while her other kept feeding aura into Gris' beaten body. It was a scroll, a basic cheap model; one that could be bought at a convenience store for a dime. But it was missing its casing, its wiring exposed and connected to added technological ports and circuitry that Jay couldn't even begin to understand.

She turned it on with a swipe of her thumb. A list of files appeared on the screen, each one dated and titled with a string of random symbols. Jay pressed one at random, but a low buzz was her only response. She met the same result when she tried another.

"Looks like it's encrypted. I should've expected as much," she said. She knew enough about encryption to know that the easiest way to crack it was with a matching key program. Turning her attention to the man under her hand, she leaned in closer to him, "Where's the key to this?"

Instead of answering, Gris raised a finger and pointed at the burning building behind them. The ceiling bursted into flames, collapsing under the extensive damage and sending a billow of smoke into the air. The few Grimm that were left scattered, fleeing back into the darkened city.

"That's going to complicate things," Tephra remarked. Jay lowered her gaze to the scroll in her hand. The small device gave a slight hum as she turned it off. Their options were limited and the scroll she held was her best chance of gaining anything worthwhile. But with its data encrypted and the key lost, even that was in danger of being taken from them.

Grunting in frustration, Jay dropped the scroll in one of the pouches on her belt. The glow of her other hand dimmed into nothing and she pulled it away. Gris managed to fully open his eyes, regarding her with the same venomous glare that he had given her after she goaded him in the library.

Even with his eyes boring into her, Jay stayed silent, denying him even the satisfaction of acknowledging his malice. A heavy thrum echoed in the air and the rest of her team looked up into the night sky. A trio of Bullheads broke through the clouds, diving nose first towards them, drawn to the massive fire like moths.

Jay swore under her breath. Company was coming and they were in no condition to get into another fight, "Fall back, we're getting out of here."

Her team didn't need any further motivation. All at once, they rose to their feet and hurried into the dark nooks and crannies of Mountain Glenn's gutted buildings. The four raced through winding alleyways and narrow spaces between buildings, constantly moving until the roar of the fire behind them was nothing more than an echo.

Bringing them to a halt in a large, square space situated behind several tall buildings, Jay motioned for them to stop. She listened for any sign that the Bullheads were following them. When all she heard were the chirps of insects and the wind whistling through the air, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was more excitement than I expected," she muttered, bending down and placing her hands on her knees. Behind her, Ritch swallowed, his brow covered in sweat.

"Yeah, just a bit," he replied.

"All in a day's work, team. We got what we wanted, even if it's gonna take a little doing to crack it open," Tephra said. Jay stood straight up, retrieving the scroll from its pouch and studying it from every angle.

"We're going to have to improvise if we want to see what's in this thing. Without the know-how or the equipment, it's useless," she said. Spriggan tossed her an odd look.

"What are you suggesting?" she asked. Jay stared at her own reflection in the scroll's screen, coming to a conclusion with a nod of her head.

"I'm giving this to Professor Ozpin. He'll know what to do with it."

"Don'tcha think he's gonna ask where you got it?" Tephra asked. Jay shrugged in response.

"If we get in trouble for this, I'll take full responsibility. It was my decision to come here, after all," she said. Jay flicked her wrist, folding the scroll down to its smaller form and depositing it into her back pocket. Her gaze went up to the night sky where the coils of smoke threaded with the fiery inferno and she shook her head.

"Let's get out of here. I've had enough of this place."

…

Hecate took slow steps across the plaza, orange light washing over her as the fire claimed what was left of the building's husk. Dozens of troops filed out of the Bullhead, forming a fast and tight wall between Hecate and any Grimm drawn to the blazing library.

Her one visible eye fell on where Gris lay. The fire before her danced in her orange irises, making them glow as if they too were burning. Three of her men broke off from the main force, working together to break the ice imprisoning the other soldiers.

"They're gone," Hecate said. It wasn't a question.

"With the scroll, along with all the information inside it," Gris said. Hecate's brow furrowed. A long pause fell until Gris saw something he thought he'd never see on Hecate's face: a smile.

"That's fine. Even when they win, they lose," she said, offering her hand to him. Gris took it, his ribs protesting under the strain of lifting the rest of him.

"I'm not a fan of the cryptic talk, Hecate. Those kids left with a goldmine of data and if they manage to crack it, we'll all be put in danger," Gris warned her. Hecate didn't seem to share his concern.

"You're right, of course. But we didn't lose anything that can't easily be taken back," Hecate said to him, "Let them think they've won for now. Their guard will be lowered, if not gone completely. I have no doubt they'll return to Beacon and think they're untouchable there. That's when we'll strike."

Hecate pulled her own scroll out, going through the contacts list until she came upon one name in particular. A small smile grew on her face as her finger hovered over the screen for a few seconds until she selected the name 'Conifer Pine', "Even when they win, they lose."


	14. Illusion of Control

**Okay so first off, I really want to thank you guys for the support you've been giving me. It always makes my day when you guys do it and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Y'all deserve medals! **

**Secondly, I was going to get this out sooner but due to some unforseen circumstances, I had to leave my house and my computer behind and I don't know when I can go back. Thankfully, I had written a good amount of the next chapter so the fic won't be terribly delayed (I've actually been doing most of my editing and writing on my tablet so sorry if something looks janky. The site doesn't play nice sometimes.) So go on and enjoy!**

**Jack Hunter: Glad you enjoyed it! Spent so much time trying to make it perfect I had to put my fingers on ice. Well not really, but that would be something huh?**

**Lochmere: Awww shucks you're gonna make me blush. Thank you sincerely for the kind words and I'm beyond ecstatic that you liked it so much. I raise my glass to you, good sir/madam!**

* * *

Chapter 14: Illusion of Control

An overwhelming sense of dread filled Jay as she walked towards Ozpin's desk in short, hesitant steps. Her stomach felt like it had been twisted and wrung like a wet towel. The scroll in her pocket may as well have been a ten ton weight, forcing her to a slow walk.

Ozpin was sitting in his chair, mug in hand as he typed on his computer. Glynda Goodwitch stood behind him and off to his left, eyeing Jay like a hawk and immediately making her turn her eyes towards the floor. Once she was close enough, Jay flinched under the stern tone of the older woman, "Ms. Atlantis, is there a reason you've decided to interrupt?"

Jay stopped dead in her tracks. The hard edge in Glynda's voice never failed to send a shiver down her spine. The woman was scarier than most Grimm. Avoiding Glynda's sharp gaze, Jay replied to her, "There's...something I want Professor Ozpin to see."

At the mention of his name, Ozpin looked up from his computer screen. As usual, his cool demeanor and calm face masked any reaction. Glynda, however, gave the girl a dubious look. Jay pulled the heavily modified scroll out of her uniform pocket and slid it across Ozpin's desk. When he took it, he peered over the rims of his dark glasses, first at her then at the device in his hand.

"Where did you acquire this, if I may ask?" he questioned her. Jay hesitated, which only made Glynda's skeptical expression deepen.

"D-Does it matter?" she asked. Ozpin turned his attention away from the scroll. Then he smiled.

"No, I suppose not," With practiced ease, Ozpin turned on the scroll and opened it to its tablet form. The same files from before sprang up on the screen. She expected the headmaster to scroll through the files, tap one at random, or even ask what he was looking at, but all she got was a vast round of silence.

After a moment, Ozpin closed the scroll and tented his fingers together, "This is certainly troubling."

"Why? Is there something is those files that we should be worried about?" Jay asked him. Ozpin shook his head, the smallest frown growing on his face.

"The files are heavily encrypted, but we have specialists here in the school who can crack the security. It's what these files represent that are the cause for concern," Ozpin said. Jay looked to Glynda for some explanation but she merely stayed silent.

"You did the right thing, bringing this to my attention, Jay. Rest assured, you needn't worry about this any longer. You and your team have done their part. Now allow us to do ours," Ozpin said. Even though Ozpin had dismissed her, Jay couldn't bring herself to leave. After everything she and her team had been through, letting it go now, with so much hanging in the air, felt wrong. She leaned forward and put her hands on his desk, desperation lacing her voice.

"Professor, please tell me what's going on. I've been looking for answers ever since this started and all I've gotten in return is more questions. My team and I risked our lives for this and-"

"You won't have to risk them any longer. Jay, you're a very ambitious girl, but understand that you that came to this school to learn how to slay Grimm, not hunt down other people," Ozpin said in a gentle tone, like a father passing lessons down to their child.

"But they're attacking us! These Macabre guys, they have a grudge against the Huntsmen and they won't stop until we're all dead. How can I ignore that?" Jay responded.

"I'm not asking you to ignore it. I'm merely asking you let us handle it. Go out and enjoy yourself. With the Vytal Festival approaching, now would be an excellent time to relax after everything you've been through," Ozpin said. Jay prepared to reply but the look from both Ozpin and Glynda told her it was a lost cause. She heaved a sigh and backed away from Ozpin's desk.

"I understand, Professor. Sorry for pressing the issue," she said. Ozpin shook his head, wearing a small smile.

"Think nothing of it."

After giving him a small bow, Jay turned on her heel and exited his office through the elevator. The sudden feeling of weightlessness clashed against the sinking in her stomach.

...

Ozpin took another sip of his mug and listened to the rhythmic ticking of the clock gears under his feet. Jay was ambitious, like he told her, but she was also a danger to herself. Everyone in Vale could see the fire raging from miles away and the pillar of smoke rising from the long dead city of Mountain Glenn. Ozpin never considered himself a betting man, but it was hard not to suspect a connection between the fire and Jay's sudden appearance with a heavily modified scroll.

Setting his mug down, Ozpin picked up the scroll again and studied the encrypted files. The long, complicated patterns of letters and numbers were placed in an odd, incoherent pattern. To the untrained eye, it would be a garbled mess. But Ozpin had seen the encryption before. Though the characters appeared random, they were actually quite predictable. The incoherent sequences matched with each other like a song. Most other encryption patterns used by military or corporations had no such consistency, preferring to have a more heavy-handed approach when it came to sensitive information.

The encryption in the scroll however, relied on false algorithms and cunning security node placements. One wrong move trying to crack it and the scroll would flash itself, deleting all the information stored inside and corrupting its own operating system to prevent anyone from recovering the files.

The encryption had a name once. It was appropriately named the 'Martyr Lock' sequence, used decades ago by the Huntsmen themselves.

Ozpin tapped a button on the arm of his chair. His desk's built-in intercom crackled to life and a gravelly voice came through.

"Is there something I can do for you, sir?"

"Yes, would you send a pair of security guards to my office? I need them to escort a piece of sensitive equipment to the academy's cyber security wing," he said.

"I'm sending two now. They'll be there momentarily."

The intercom turned off with a click and Ozpin leaned back into his chair. Glynda came to his side.

"Ms. Atlantis should be reprimanded for going to Mountain Glenn and endangering her team," she mentioned. Ozpin glanced at her for a moment. When it came to their students, nothing got by Glynda but underneath her no-nonsense exterior, she truly cared about their well-being like a firm mother.

"I suspect that it will accomplish little. They wanted to know something and as she said, she has more questions than answers," Ozpin rested one leg over the other, furrowing his brow slightly, "And if they were curious enough to ask the question, they're curious enough to find the answer."

Glynda only hummed in response. She turned slightly to see the scroll sitting on Ozpin's desk and frowned.

"The Macabre...the name is enough of a hint. When we crack it and find out what's inside…" she trailed off. Ozpin slowly nodded, coming to the same conclusion.

"There will be definitive proof that they're not quite as dismantled as we thought them to be," he finished, shutting his eyes and releasing a breath. He wished it wasn't the case. Those years weren't ones he was particularly proud of. But as the pieces fell into place, the picture they made became one he wished had stayed in the past. Try as he might, however, there was no denying it.

The schism was still very much alive.

…

Jay pressed on into the library, her head swirling with thoughts. Any student passing by her would have thought she was fretting about projects or the midterms that were steadily approaching. Jay _wished_ she had those sort of problems.

She heaved the massive library door open and spotted Spriggan sitting at one of the long tables with a fellow student with the floppy ears of a dog Faunus. A mess of textbooks were spread out in front of them and Spriggan was pointing at the boy's paper every so often as she spoke about something Jay couldn't quite hear, pointing every so often at the boy's paper while talking about the recent lessons from Professor Port's class.

"Now the Beowolf has a fairly unique characteristic when it comes to its jaw bones. While its bite is strong enough to inflict horrific injuries, the muscles used to open the mouth are very weak. It's actually fairly easy to keep its mouth shut if the opportunity arises," Spriggan said, pointing at a diagram of a Beowolf's skull. She glanced at the boy's work, making double sure that he was writing his notes down.

"Oh, so if one bites down… then… I'd want to go for it's back jawline?" He asked, scratching the top of his head in thought.

"If there is no other option, yes. But bounding a Beowolf by the tip of its jaw, typically its snout, is the best you could hope for. That's where its muscles are at its weakest," Spriggan said, cupping her own jaw to demonstrate, "It's also particularly sensitive there. If a Beowolf manages to bite you and won't let go, remember to punch it in the snout until it does."

_'Wish I'd known that nine years ago.'_ the morbid thought entered Jay's mind before she shook it clear.

"Oh… Okay, so there's how to defeat beowolves." He wrote down in his notebook. "And when running away from Ursa, you're supposed to run… down hill? No wait, climb a tree."

"Most Huntsmen I know would prefer fighting as opposed to climbing a tree," Spriggan said with a light laugh. Spriggan quickly noticed Jay approaching, then noticed the troubled expression on her face.

"Would you please excuse me, Tawn? I need to talk to my leader for a moment." The faunus looked at his work and then at he with a blank faced nod. Spriggan got up from her chair and brought Jay between two bookshelves where they couldn't be spied on.

"How's the boyfriend?" Jay asked. Spriggan instantly jumped, her eyes opening so wide that Jay was afraid they'd pop out of her head.

"J-Jay, I wouldn't…" Spriggan's cheeks were an impossible shade of red. Jay cracked a small grin. She took a step forward and patted Spriggan on the shoulder with both hands.

"I know, you just look adorable when you're embarrassed," Jay remarked. The blush on Spriggan's cheeks grew deeper, and she coughed into her closed fist. She never could accept a simple compliment. Spriggan always chose to give rather than recieve. Nay admired her for that.

"So...how did it go? Is Professor Ozpin going to do something with the scroll?" she asked. Jay sighed. Out of habit, she wringed her hands to try and alleviate her anxiety. It almost worked.

"Yeah he is, but he said that our role in this is done. Once they crack the encryption, it's pretty much over," Jay said with more trepidation than Spriggan was expecting judging from her wide open eyes.

"Well...that's a good thing, isn't it? We won't have any more life-threatening adventures. Well at least more than we already do," Spriggan said, forcing a laugh to try and lighten the mood.

"Maybe…" Jay said, turning away slightly, "Where's Tephra? I need to talk to her about something."

"She's on the second level trying to cram for Professor Oobleck's test. I would have been helping her but she said something about 'not letting a nerd cramp her style'," Spriggan recited with a terrible impersonation of Tephra's voice.

"Aww, Sprig," Jay wrapped her arms around Spriggan's neck and pulled her into a gentle embrace, "You are a nerd."

Spriggan's shoulders took a hard slump. She dropped her head on Jay's shoulder, her voice muffled by the fabric of her friend's uniform jacket, "You don't have to say it out loud."

Jay let her go, putting enough pressure on Spriggan's shoulder to usher her back out and bring her back to her table. After sitting down, Spriggan threw Jay a curious glance, "Take it easy for the next few days, okay? Out of all of us, you need the most rest."

Jay's nod was automatic. In truth, wasn't going to listen to her. Listening to her meant letting go, and Jay wouldn't allow herself to do it. Not until she was certain the Macabre were no longer a threat. When she wandered down the library's large open area and up the stairs to the second level, she spotted Tephra in one of the reading lounges, laying on a leather couch with her legs dangling off the side.

The tiger ears on Tephra's head twitched in her direction. She lifted her head up, her blank face contorting into something akin to annoyance, "Chief, I'm busy. Go ask Golden Boy to help you study."

Jay felt the need to bring up the fact that Tephra didn't even have a book in her hands, but held off. Responding by slapping Tephra's legs off the armrest of the couch, Jay sat down beside her and kept her voice low to ensure none of the other students nearby could overhear them.

"Golden Boy isn't going to help me sneak into Beacon's security wing," Jay replied. Tephra arched a brow and dug a finger into her Faunus ears.

"Did I get knocked in the head back in Mountain Glenn? Cause I could've sworn that you told me we were sneaking into Beacon's security wing," she replied.

"We are."

"Oh, my mistake. Did YOU get knocked in the head?"

"Tephra, this is serious. I gave Ozpin the scroll and he said he was going to have specialists crack the thing open. I'm willing to bet that he's taking it to the cyber-security guys here in the academy so we'll just...sneak in. And if we happen to overhear what they find, well that would be very lucky for us, wouldn't it?" Jay asked. Tephra didn't give an immediate answer or a snarky comment, and that made Jay worry. Instead, Tephra rose up from the couch and shot her an incredulous look.

"You're just all sorts of idiotic, aren't you, Chief?" Tephra remarked. Jay sat up without missing a beat and replied back at her.

"I'm not hearing you refuse," she said. The Faunus ears perched on Tephra's head flattened and Jay couldn't help but be amused about the fact that Tephra's body language revealed more about her feelings than her face ever did.

"I guess that makes me an idiot too," Tephra sighed, turning her back to her and crossing her arms into a tight knot. Without a word, she started towards the stairs. She made no protest as Jay followed by her side.

…

Midas never considered himself a perfect fit for his job. If he was honest with himself, he actually felt rather useless at times. At least being a security guard for a bank or a government building gave him a sense of purpose. The people there couldn't protect themselves. He couldn't say the same thing being stationed in Beacon Academy.

Along with a dozen other guards, Midas was placed in the school as a gesture of goodwill between the Vale City Council and the Huntsmen. Officially, it was to show the city's backing to Professor Ozpin and his students as a whole, even if said gesture did little to help. Midas didn't have any delusions about the people he was supposed to protect. He knew what they were capable of. He also knew who would be doing the real protecting if Beacon was ever attacked.

But even if his role was ultimately uncalled for, he still had a job to do. He reminded himself of that once the elevator doors opened and he stepped out. Back straight, chin up, hands behind his back. The posture had been ingrained in him since he was in the Atlesian Military. Ironwood was a hardass, but he knew how to make himself and his soldiers paint a picture of authority. The lifestyle never faded since he was honorably discharged. He still kept his hair in a buzzcut and he still wore the strict look of a man who had sacrificed his life and more for his kingdom.

He couldn't say the same for his partner. Next to him, Canary observed the large room with the awe of a child. She was a young, pretty girl with shoulder length blonde hair and bright fuchsia eyes. Beacon was her first assignment and it showed.

A soft grunt from Midas brought her attention back. Together, they walked across the wide room, their polished boots clacking in perfect sync until they reached the headmaster himself. He leaned back against his desk, giving them both a smile that radiated warmth.

Midas found it uncomfortable. It was like Ozpin was telling them there was no problem. But he led an entire school. And leaders never ran out of problems.

"I'm glad you two could make it," Ozpin told them. He reached for something lying on his desk and held it out to Midas. When he got a good look at it, he narrowed his eyes. Ozpin said it was a piece of sensitive equipment, not a cheap scroll with scratches and stains.

Midas managed to keep it to himself, though. Canary took the scroll into her hands, turning it over like she was expecting something more substantial. Midas couldn't blame her.

"Sir, what is the nature of this equipment? Or is it strictly a need to know basis?" Midas asked in his usual, crisp tone. His question drew Canary's interest too, as she held the scroll close to her chest.

"Forgive me, but this is strictly a Huntsmen affair. I wish I can say more. But make no mistake, this scroll is very important," Ozpin replied. Midas took the scroll out of Canary's hands, looking it over with a sharp, analytical gaze that saved his life more than once. He heard talk from other soldiers during his service, even the other security guards, about how Huntsmen always had backroom operations going on, ranging from covertly killing Grimm that snuck past city walls to influencing the governments of every kingdom in the world. They straddled the line between fact and made up stories. Midas couldn't help but wonder if he was straddling that line with them right now.

After a moment, Midas held it back out to Canary and gave Ozpin a sharp nod, "We'll get it to the eggheads in no time, sir."

"Excellent, I'll leave you too it," Ozpin said. Midas ushered Canary to follow him back into the elevator. Once the doors closed, the young girl was bouncing on her toes with a large smile growing on her face.

"Holy cow, that was actually Ozpin! Oh, I've been wanting to talk to him for so long and now I had my chance and I didn't even say hi," Canary said in the kind of enthusiasm only she could muster. The elevator descended as Midas hit the button to bring them back to ground level. He had almost forgot. Canary adored the Huntsmen ever since she was a child. He remembered when they first met. She was slackjawed through the entire tour of Beacon. Midas almost offered her a rag in case she started drooling.

"Tell you what, once we get this scroll to the proper people, you can go tell Ozpin yourself that the mission was complete," Midas said. The elevator came to a halt and the two stepped out into the main courtyard, following the stone path that wound around the administration building to Beacon's west wing.

"R-Really?" she asked. Midas nodded, opening the door for her and leading them down a stark white hallway. Men and women wearing similar uniforms, a light ballistic vest under a forest green security jacket with the Beacon crest on the right breast, walked up and down the corridor, carrying scrolls of their own or quietly chatting with a coworker on their break.

"Of course, kid. I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know," Midas rounded a corner and down a flight of stairs. Then he shot his arm out next to him to stop Canary dead in her tracks.

Midas stared down the tall figure at the end of the hall. He or she, Midas couldn't tell because of the black robe covering their entire body, stood completely still with their arms at their sides. In an area where everyone wore the same uniform, something like what he was looking at stood out. It could have been a Beacon student. They had a reputation for dressing in eye-catching clothing. But there was still a problem.

This was a restricted area. No students were allowed in the security wing.

Old instincts flared to life after being dormant for years. Once Canary noticed the figure as well, Midas lowered his hand. He kept the other near the pistol strapped to his hip.

"Excuse me, are you lost? You do realize this is a restricted area," he said as he approached with Canary in toe. He risked a glance back and let a sigh escape his lips. Canary was shaking. Not noticeably, but it was there.

The figure didn't respond and that made Midas more on edge than if it was brandishing a gun in their faces.

"If you come with me, I'll escort you back to the administration building," Midas said, coming within ten feet of the figure. Again, he didn't get a reply. He wasn't stupid. There were very few ways this would end, almost none of them were good. He reached up to his shoulder where his radio was and then he made his mistake.

He didn't notice the tripwire.

…

"I'm really disappointed in you, Chief," Tephra remarked. Jay pressed her back against the stainless steel wall. The clacking of boots on the linoleum floor around the corner didn't concern her. If anything, it gave them an advantage. Tephra's advanced hearing would alert her to anyone getting too close.

"Why's that?" she asked.

"Associating with a known Dust kingpin, trespassing into a military complex and assaulting the personnel, aiding a terrorist organization, theft of a military cargo truck. And now….eavesdropping," Tephra turned to her with a wide grin, "Somebody stop this maniac."

"Ha. Ha. Just keep an ear open, will ya? The last thing we need is for a security guy to get the drop on us while you're being snarky and getting us kicked out of Beacon," Jay said. Tephra leaned out with her ears twitching sporadically. Satisfied no one was nearby, she prowled down the hall with Jay following after her.

"If you did get kicked out, at least you'd have a promising career as a B-list villain," Tephra replied. The hall broke into two different directions and Jay checked both before settling on the left path.

Jay wasn't sure what she was looking for. If the scroll was here, it would most likely be in the cyber-security room. The security wing was small and few guards were ever inside judging from the numerous times she walked past it after class. All she had to do was avoid any patrols and use Tephra's hearing to find out if anyone was inside the rooms they walked past.

She kept checking over her shoulder, though. It never hurt to be too careful.

Jay moved ahead of Tephra, peeking around the corner to make sure the coast was clear. It was almost ironic that the knowledge she learned from Beacon was now being used to infiltrate it. Tephra was right, she did feel like a B-list villain.

She came to a halt. Not because she found what she was looking for, but because she had to cover her ears from a sudden wave of deafening noise. It felt like a spike was being driven into her skull and unleashing a hellish migraine. Tephra threw her arms over her head to cover both her human and Faunus ears.

Using the wall for support, Jay stumbled around a corner to try and find the source of the noise.

A thick, gray cloud was all that greeted her. The ringing in her ears lowered enough for her to hear frantic gunshots coming from within the smoke.

Jay rushed forward. The smoke was twenty feet away. Ten. The gunfire stopped. An arm's length away, Jay heard Tephra's warning too late.

"Duck!"

A mass of metal smashed into her face. Jay stumbled back. Out the smoke, came a cloaked figure. The pistol in its hand rose and fired two quick shots in Tephra's direction. She leapt to the side and hid behind a protruding section of the wall.

Jay regained her senses. She didn't bring her weapon. Neither did Tephra. She lunged for the gun in the man's hand. He retaliated with a swift swing of his arm catching her in the side of the head. Jay hit the wall with staggering force and slipped to the ground.

She looked up to see the muzzle of the pistol pointed at her. Her face went pale. The hand holding the pistol wavered. The figure was hesitating.

A torrent of bullets tore through the air. The figure's body jerked and Jay saw a splatter of blood hit the floor. Somehow, her attacker was still standing, clutching its bleeding right arm, and ran down the hall and out of sight.

Out of the smoke came an older man, his gun in one hand and the other holding up a girl a few years older than Jay. His hard gaze stayed on the hallway for a few moments more until he sighed and lowered his gun.

"Command, this is Midas. Intruder in Security wing, west corridor. Black cloak, armed, and injured," Midas looked down at the blood as he finished his statement. He looked to Jay, furrowing his brow. When Tephra came out from her cover, Midas' expression went from surprise to something Jay couldn't quite pinpoint. She was half expecting Midas to turn them in. Instead, he shook his head at them and holstered his pistol to keep the girl in his arms on her feet.

"You feeling alright, Canary? Nothing hurt to bad?" he asked her. The girl nodded. She was shaken and had a nasty red cut over her eye, but appeared no worse for wear, "And what are you two doing here? This is a restricted area, no students allowed."

Jay couldn't muster a reply before Tephra came up with one of her own, "I got turned around, sir. Beacon's not exactly handicap accessible, if you catch my meaning," she said as she waved a hand in front of her face, "Had to phone a friend to help me out of here. Got a lot more than I bargained for, though."

Jay nodded a little too eagerly but Midas didn't seem to notice. He was too busy tending to the girl named Canary. She looked up at him, hand over the wound on her forehead.

"Wh-What about…" Canary mumbled. Midas knew what she was getting at.

"He took the damn scroll," he whispered. Jay and Tephra both heard him and shared an anxious glance. An attack by a cloaked figure, the scroll they had taken from the Macabre stolen, and a second infiltration in Beacon Academy.

The implications were perfectly clear then. This went deeper than they thought it did.

…

Pine shrugged off his cloak. A fresh surge of burning pain ran up and down his arm. He checked the courtyard below him from his position atop one of Beacon's buildings, then pried off the rest of his torn cloak and armor. The blood was sticking to his clothes, but he managed to grit his teeth long enough to get a good look at his injury.

Three shots broke through his aura, the last impacted the meat of his right arm. Pine grabbed a knife from his belt and dug it into the wound, prying the bullet out and wrapping his arm with a medicine soaked bandage.

The mission didn't go as smoothly as he liked, but he got what he came for. The modified scroll sat in his pocket, uncracked.

Pine pulled his pistol out, the same one he almost killed Jay with. He stared at it, his fingers curling around its frame and almost cracking it in his hand. This was too much. His own students were getting tangled in a web and the more they struggled, the more likely the Macabre would take care of them. They wanted hostages but even hostages were in danger of being killed when the risk outweighed the benefit.

And it was all because of him. He knew he was guilty. They were his pupils, they trusted him, learned from his lessons, respected him like they would any other professor in Beacon, but he didn't deserve any of that. Not anymore.

The guilt turned into anger. Pine scowled and threw the pistol as hard as he could, watching with some petty satisfaction as it hit a tree and shattered into pieces. He tore his personal scroll from a pouch on his belt and hit the first contact.

"Job done?" Hecate's voice came through. Pine turned away from the courtyard, marching down the deserted roof.

"Yes, job's done," he spat. He wished he could see Hecate's face in that moment. Her tone made it perfectly clear that she wasn't expecting his curt reply.

"Something went wrong."

"Something always goes wrong. But you would know that better than me," Pine didn't care if she was technically in charge of their mission. He needed someone to blame to keep him from pointing the finger at himself.

"I'll be there within a few days to collect. Something's come up. It's rather important."

Pine's discipline was enough to keep him from scoffing into his scroll. On top of taking a bullet and almost killing his student, he had to sit on the scroll until Hecate came to pick it up when it was convenient for her.

"What's so important that you're leaving me with it?" he asked. A long pause followed and Pine slowed to a stop. When Hecate's voice finally answered, it wasn't what he was expecting.

"Pepper is awake."


	15. The Huntsmen Schism

**Okay, delays aside, I've gotten this thing done! Hopefully, I won't have any more delays for a while now so I can churn these out for you all. But thank you for bearing with me. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 15: The Huntsmen Schism

Jay walked out of her dorm bathroom running a towel over her damp hair. After everything that happened, she needed a hot shower to gather her thoughts and relax the tension in her sore muscles. The window in their dorm was cracked open, letting a cool breeze hit her back and sending pleasant shivers down her spine. It felt good not wearing all her cumbersome equipment. She wasn't wearing her leather armor or her long blue scarf, instead she had on a black tank top and a pair of old sweatpants she should have thrown away a long time ago.

Her prosthetic arm was exposed for all to see, but nobody minded. It was a nice change of pace from the usual stares and half-hearted looks of pity she usually got whenever she walked around the city or was gearing up in the locker rooms.

When she wore her combat attire, her mindset was to always be on high alert The tight fit and constant weight on her shoulders made for a good reminder to never let the armor do its job if she could help it.

"In the event that you are set aside for questioning, I ask that you be cooperative with the investigators. Remember, you are representing all of Beacon."

Glynda's voice came through Spriggan's open scroll. The attack was only a few hours ago and Beacon wasn't slow to react. The school was on lockdown. After school activities were suspended and airships going to and from Vale were grounded. Students were corralled into their dorms and every single professor was patrolling the school grounds openly carrying their weapons.

"Let me assure you all that there is no cause for concern. Your professors are working tirelessly to get to the bottom of this incident. Until then, I ask all students to go about their day as best they can."

The announcement ended and Spriggan closed her scroll with a deep sigh, "No cause for concern. How I wish that were true."

"We're back at square one. No scroll, no leads, nothing. Talk about a slap to the face," Tephra remarked. She had her shield sitting face down on her lap as Ritch sat next to her to help refill the dust canisters on the inside of her shield.

Jay came to the window, propping her hands on the sill. Her metal fingers curled and rhythmically tapped against the wooden surface. A pregnant silence carried on with no one sure of what to say.

"What do you think we should do, Jay?" Spriggan asked. Jay hung her head, deep in thought, until she muttered,

"I don't know."

"You don't know? That's a first," Tephra replied. Jay whipped around and swallowed a sudden desire to tell Tephra to shut up for once.

"What am I supposed to do? Before, I had something to work with, even if it was just a hunch. Now we're literally out of options and I don't see a way to change that any time soon. Let's face it, we lost this one," she said, crossing her arms. The temptation to give up grew insistent. Jay almost wished she could forget it all, but maybe it was her fear, her sense of justice, or even her damn pride that kept her from doing it.

Two quick knocks came from their door. Ritch exchanged glances with the others before getting up from Tephra's bed and opening it slightly. Jay couldn't see who it was, but Ritch's sudden rigid posture told her it wasn't another student.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Dorado. May I come inside?"

Ritch affirmed with a stiff nod and swung the door open. Ozpin was standing on the other side with his cane tucked in the crook of his arm.

"Professor Ozpin, sir," Spriggan said as she stood up from her bed. Ozpin gave her a small smile and stepped inside.

"I'm glad to see you all are safe. The recent incident has many students on edge," he said.

"What exactly happened?" Jay asked.

"I'm not a liberty to discuss details but there was an intruder on Beacon grounds that attacked a couple of our security guards. He has since fled the area and we don't believe he'll be coming back anytime soon," Ozpin replied.

"Don't believe? That's a half-hearted way of saying 'We hope he won't do it again'." Tephra said. Jay shot her a dirty look, but Tephra was far too preoccupied with her shield to notice the edge in her tone.

"Ozpin's doing to best he can, Tephra," she said. Ozpin made a muffled chuckle and held a hand up to placate her.

"It's quite alright," he said. His tender smile slipped away as he addressed everyone in the room.

"May I speak to your leader for a moment? There are some things that I'd like to discuss with her regarding her duties," he said. Jay gulped, but tried to play it off by scratching her neck. One by one, the others left the room with Spriggan giving Jay a light squeeze of her shoulder before taking her leave. Jay couldn't help but be nervous when Ozpin closed the door behind him. Either he was being courteous or he was about to say something that he wanted to keep between them.

Ozpin stopped at the center of the room, his dark eyes boring into her and striking at her core. Jay patiently waited for him to say something, anything, but he remained silent, "Professor Ozpin, what is it exactly that you wanted to speak to me about?" she said.

"Jay, when you came into my office and gave me that scroll, did you intend on continuing your investigation regardless of what I said?" he asked.

"Wh-what? Professor Ozpin, I don't understand what you're asking. I just-"

"If you really believe that you can stand there and lie to me with the hopes of getting away with it, then you might as well stop now. I know you went into Beacon's security wing and I also know that you ran into the man who stole the scroll back," Ozpin said. Jay stood flabbergasted. She wanted to keep trying to find a way out of it, to swear up and down that she had no idea what he was talking about, but Ozpin was smarter than that. All she would accomplish would be digging herself into a deeper hole.

"I-I'm sorry. Yes, I was there, but I'm taking care of it." Jay said.

"Not very well, it would seem. There was a reason I asked you to allow me to take care of it. This situation you've found yourself in is more dangerous than any other one you've been in since you began your training. There are no safety nets, no one to stop things before it goes too far. So I'm here to stop you before you make that leap," Ozpin said.

"Professor, it's my job to protect people, Huntsmen included. I care about my job so I'm going to fight these...maniacs so that they never hurt the people close to me," Jay said, taking a step towards him.

"And yet you put your team in harm's way every time you do."

Jay stopped dead in her tracks. He was right. She was the one who got her team locked in a vault and basically forced them to fight the Atlas armed forces. She was the one who dragged her team to Mountain Glenn. Jay found herself feeling a wave of guilt as she made a pained expression.

"I-It's the price we have to pay for doing this. We knew what we were signing up for when we decided to become Huntsmen," Jay defended. She took a step back. And Ozpin took one step closer.

"You're correct. You and your team knew the risks when you wanted to be Huntsmen. But can you say the same now? Do you know what exactly you're putting on the line by fighting the Macabre?" Ozpin asked her. Jay opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself at the last moment. The easy answer was that they were risking their lives, but Ozpin wouldn't have asked if it were really that simple.

"It's more than your life, Jay," Ozpin told her. His voice was soft. In that instant, he sounded tired, "It's the lives of your team. The safety of Vale. What the Huntsmen do ripples across the world. Do you think you're ready to bear that responsibility?"

Jay hesitated, unsure of what to say, "I-I...I don't really have a choice, do I? I dedicated my life to the Huntsmen. If I don't accept that responsibility then I'm a disgrace to the name. I wouldn't belong here and honestly, I can't imagine doing anything else."

Ozpin turned to face her, taking a measured glance at her expression. Seconds ticked by until he finally nodded with a grim frown, "You have an admirable sense of duty. It's something that more Huntsmen should aspire to."

That caught Jay off guard. She always considered Huntsmen to have the best sense of responsibility. When the safety of the world was resting on your shoulders, you had to. Anyone who didn't was just a fairy-tale. The Huntsmen were undisputably, the best and most reliable in the world. Which only made her wonder why Ozpin would say otherwise.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Ozpin's neutral expression didn't change, but Jay saw the subtle slump of his shoulders. It worried her. Ozpin always seemed so immovable. She couldn't even imagine what he was thinking.

"Jay, have you ever heard of the Huntsmen Schism?" he asked as he turned to face her. Jay stared at him for a moment longer, the name rewinding itself over and over in her head. Not once, either in her studies or in Professor Oobleck's history lectures did she ever hear about a Huntsmen Schism.

"No, sir. I take it that it happened a long time ago?" she asked. Ozpin merely shook his head.

"On the contrary, the schism happened over twenty years ago, and it hasn't ended. You know that better than most."

Jay's mouth dropped open. An uncertain silence filled the room like a heavy burden that Jay struggled to lift. In an instant, all the memories of fighting the Macabre came back in a roaring flood as the horrific realization dawned on her.

"W-We've...been fighting rogue Huntsmen?" she asked.

"Not rogue. Misguided. Angry. Due in no small part to us," Ozpin said with a surprising amount of sadness in his tone. Jay was at a loss for words. Huntsmen learned to trust one another with their lives, creating bonds that were stronger than family. They shared everything together, happiness, sorrow, and trauma. Ozpin took a deep breath before adding, "Not every wound is healed by time. When the Macabre first emerged, it came as a response to several questionable things some Huntsmen were involved in. Back then, they were merely other Huntsmen, worried about their fellow brothers and sisters. They wanted to do what they always did. Make things right."

Ozpin reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small black and white amulet. The Vale insignia was branded on it with the words 'To Protect and Care for All' written underneath.

"They wore this when they were still in their infancy. The amulet was seen as something to be proud of. It's little more than a relic now,"

Ozpin held it out to her. Jay took it without question and turned it over, examining it from every angle. It was no larger than a coin and still glittered under the afternoon sun despite being decades old.

"Why?" Was the only word that escaped her mouth. Ozpin pinched the amulet's cord. And for a brief second, Jay saw a name etched onto the back of it.

_S. Nihil_

"There were other Huntsmen that disagreed with their policing. First there was arguing. Then it escalated into fighting. It continued for months with each incident becoming more severe," Ozpin hung his head and closed his eyes.

"Both parties eventually agreed to try and negotiate. But when they did...tempers flared. Weapons were drawn. And when the first Huntsmen fell, it became clear to them that they could never reach a peaceful resolution," Ozpin said, almost grieving as he stuffed the amulet back into the inside of his coat, "So it fell to them to reform what they saw as corruption. To take on the _macabre_ duty of reforming the Huntsmen through any means necessary."

Jay was dumbfounded. She remembered back to Mountain Glenn, how Gris had told her that the Huntsmen's way wasn't working. She thought he was just trying to justify his actions. Now she wasn't sure what to think.

The door to the room was pushed open. Jay and Ozpin both turned at the same time to see Glynda enter in a hurried stride. The older woman didn't even glance in her direction when she stopped next to Ozpin, keeping her voice hushed as she spoke.

Jay wished she had Tephra's hearing if only to know what Glynda was whispering to him. His expression didn't change and his stature was as impeccable as Vale's walls. She would have found it impressive if she wasn't so frustrated by it.

"If you'll excuse me Jay. There are some things that require my attention. Remember what I told you, and understand why I want you and your team's involvement to end."

Ozpin left with his words hanging in the air. Not long after, the rest of Jay's team filtered inside carrying an uncertain mood with them.

"Rogue Huntsmen, huh? Didn't see that coming, honestly," Tephra said. Jay raised a brow.

"How..?" Tephra stopped her before she could go on, pointing at her Faunus ears.

"Think a flimsy door is gonna keep me from hearing all that?" she asked. Ritch checked outside their dorm and locked the door.

"I get the feeling Ozpin has dealt with these people before. It explains why he wants us to stay out of it," he said.

"He has reason to, I suppose. If these are truly Huntsmen that have defected, then it explains their talents, their knowledge, and their ability to sneak into Beacon. What greater enemy is there than the one who knows everything about you?" Spriggan added. Jay slipped a hand into the pocket of her sweatpants, feeling her hair clip inside and running her fingers over the inlaid gemstones like she usually did when she was in thought. Huntsmen defectors, striking wherever they wanted and disappearing without a trace. It was a terrifying thought. No wonder Ozpin wanted to keep their existence a secret.

"It's scary, isn't it? Anyone could be on their side. There could be a hundred of them in this school and we'd never know it," the hairs on the back of Jay's neck stood up. Her eyes went wide as she sucked in a breath like it was the only thing keeping her alive.

"Do you guys think one of them might be in the school?" She blurted out.

"An agent in the school? That's pretty hard to believe, Chief. Beacon has background checks, it's the most heavily monitored school in Remnant. Inserting a mole in here is about as possible as the Grimm suddenly growing a conscience," Tephra replied.

"And yet they were able to infiltrate twice. One of them being in the heart of Beacon's security wing. I have to agree with Jay on this. After everything that's happened, we can't throw the possibility out the window just yet," Ritch said.

"Ozpin said it himself. These are people that defected. Who's to say there aren't some people who are fighting the Huntsmen from the inside, feeding the Macabre information? It's what I would do," Jay added. It made too much sense. Organized as they were, the Huntsmen were independent and had a very loose hold on the people who graduated from their schools. There was no chain of command, no standing army, or even technically a list of active Huntsmen. A perfect place for traitors to hide.

"If this is the case...assuming we do have a mole in Beacon, how would we even go about finding them? It could be anyone. Heaven forbid, even a professor," Spriggan said. Jay's first instinct was to start questioning the other students, but as she looked out the window, watching students walking to and fro from the courtyard, she couldn't help but imagine every single one of them as their traitor.

Her conversation with Ozpin was still fresh on her mind. As she watched the faces of her teammates, she felt that lingering feeling of guilt sprout in her chest. They were only following her orders. If something happened to them because of her, Jay wouldn't be able to live with herself.

She tried to rationalize it as best she could. That every leader dealt with the same burden. It was enough to ease her mind for a while.

Jay pulled her hair clip out of her pocket and snapped it onto a lock of her hair, regarding Spriggan with the tiniest of smiles. "Then we better get to work."

…

Ozpin stood underneath the shade of one of the courtyard's trees. The reason Glynda had brought him out here was sitting in the grass, covered in dirt and pieces of wood. A pistol lay in pieces at his feet. Above it was a very pronounced dent in the tree's trunk.

"Midas and Canary both confirmed that this was the firearm used in the attack," Glynda told him. Ozpin crouched down, very aware of several students watching from afar. He made eye contact with each one and like a silent command, they scattered.

_Right at our front door. They're understandably concerned._

The pistol was nothing special, a standard civilian model that could be found anywhere. However, Ozpin was more interested in the smaller details, like the fine coat of gunpowder along the receiver mechanism or the tiny speckles of blood caked into its grip, similar to the splatter he saw in the security wing.

One would think the culprit tried to get rid of the evidence. But it didn't make sense. Their attacker was cunning, a professional. Breaking his weapon out in the open and without hiding the remains was sloppy work and completely unnecessary. There had to be another reason.

"Have them analyze this, Glynda. If the blood matches the one found in the security wing, we'll know for sure," Ozpin said before adding, "Call the other professors as well. Tell them it's urgent."

Glynda was quick to inform the professors of the meeting. Unsurprising given the fact that classes were cut short and the teachers were on standby in case of another attack. By the time Ozpin returned to his office, most of them were there waiting for him.

"Thank you all for meeting me here on such short notice. I wish the circumstances were better, but we haven't much time I'm afraid," Ozpin took to his chair, sipping slowly from his mug, "You all know about the attack so I'll go straight to the point. The Macabre have returned."

Every single professor visibly stiffened. The tension in the air was palatable. Anxious glances were tossed around. Ozpin crossed his legs and waited. Years had passed since the schism but the bad blood never truly cooled down. The reactions of his colleagues would determine his next move. He hoped it wouldn't be a violent one.

"That...is certainly troubling news," Professor Oobleck said.

"They just don't know when to quit, do they?" Professor Peach said from the back.

"They're putting the lives of Vale, of our students, at risk! They need to be dealt with permanently this time!" Professor Eau barked.

Ozpin could sense the mood turning worse. He raised a hand, silencing everyone in the room, "I assure you that we will not leave this matter alone. Which is why I've summoned you all here today."

The crowd of professors seemed satisfied. Ozpin rose from his chair, "For the moment, we must assume that everything we once knew of the Macabre is no longer accurate. They've been gone for over twenty years. Leadership may have changed. Tactics as well. It would be prudent to tread carefully for the moment until we have a clearer picture of what's going on."

"And then when we find them, we eliminate them, correct? They made their choice. As far as I'm concerned they're not Huntsmen anymore. Now they're little better than the White Fang," one of the professors muttered.

"She's right. This war has been going on too long. We can't pull our punches anymore. These terrorists need to be taken care of," another professor agreed. Ozpin closed his eyes. He hoped that they could avoid violence. Both sides had lost too many people already.

"Why can't we just negotiate? Does everything have to be about revenge to you people?"

All of them turned to the source of the voice. Professor Pine was standing in the middle of the crowd, standing firm against all the stares being directed at him.

"We're far past the point of negotiating with these people, Pine. They chose to betray us and murder their fellow Huntsmen. There's no coming back from that," Peach hands curled into tight fists, her fierce red eyes burning with raw intensity behind her pink bangs of hair.

"It's not like we're full of innocence either. They only rebelled because of us, not because they felt like it. If we just took a second and talked, like the peacekeepers we claim to be, we'd solve this entire feud," Pine said.

"Great idea. Why don't you walk over to where they are and talk it out with them. If you're lucky you might get a few words out before they gut you," Peach took a step forward and Pine took it for what it was. A challenge.

"That exact attitude is why they're so intent on destroying us. If we constantly expect each other to attack the moment we meet, the only way this war will end is when one side is completely decimated. I'm not letting more lives be lost because of this stupid fe-"

"Pine, Peach, that _will _be all you have to say," Ozpin's cold tone could have dropped the temperature in the room. Pine's gaze never wavered from the woman in front of him until a heavy hand came down on his shoulder. Professor Port pulled him aside and Pine turned his back on the others, grumbling under his breath.

Certain that the tensions have cooled off, Ozpin continued, "They have infiltrated our school. More than once. Right now, our first priority is the safety of our students. When Beacon is secure and we gather enough information on the Macabre, then we will worry about what to do with them. Until then, what we spoke about should not leave this room. Do not tell the students about the Macabre. I don't wish to incite panic in the school."

Some of the professors nodded in agreement. It was an unspoken rule in Beacon to never compromise a student's learning even if it meant shielding them from certain unsavory realities happening just outside their walls. Some would have called it coddling. Ozpin preferred to call it being human.

A sharp clicking noise came from the clock gears beneath the floor. A chorus of bells echoed throughout the school. It was six o'clock. Dinner would be served in a few minutes.

"I won't keep you any longer. You're all free to leave. Stay safe everyone," he said. One by one, the professors left his office. Even Glynda excused herself to attend to her own duties. Left alone with his own thoughts, Ozpin shut his eyes. He turned his chair around to see the great wilderness that expanded beyond Vale. Out there somewhere were people who once devoted their lives to protecting others. Now they were disillusioned with the Huntsmen agenda. It wasn't the first time he found himself asking if maybe he could have done something differently, like Jay said herself. Those words he spoke to Ruby on her first day repeated themselves in his head.

_I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet._

Ozpin looked at his own reflection in the window. So many people relied on him. When everyone looked to him, they felt a sense of calm and confidence. Everyone was so sure that with him on their side, they could go through hell.

But Ozpin was just a man. Flaws and all. The Macabre had seen that first hand over twenty years ago.

Now his mistake was coming back to haunt him. Now it was going to affect far more people than him.

Now all he could do was apologize.

…

Hecate strode down the halls of the medical wing. The stark white walls and floors stank with antiseptic, making her scrunch her face. Her hood was down and her mask was off, revealing her long orange hair and fair complexion marred only by a thin line of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Had no one seen the swords dangling from her hips or the scratched leather padding underneath her cloak, they would have thought she was just a normal girl.

Some of the medical personnel noticed her walking past them. The junior members quickly averted their eyes as if she'd target them if they so much as made eye contact with her. Hecate didn't pay them any mind. She was more concerned with other things.

She came to a stop at a door at the far end of the hall. Twisting the knob, Hecate stepped inside and shut the door behind her. The room was just as barren as the halls. No windows were inside and the only light source in the room was a small lamp casting a dim glow in the corner. Medical computers beeped in a steady rhythm along with the annoying ticking of the clock that seemed louder in the dead silence of the room.

"I'm disappointed in you. Not even a 'Get well soon' card."

Hecate knew that voice all too well and she didn't even bother to fight the scowl growing on her face.

"I've been busy," Was all she managed to say as she turned to face the other person in the room with her. Her partner, Pepper Carnation. The person who betrayed them all.

"All business. You haven't changed a bit, Ember," Pepper said. She was lying in her hospital bed, blankets pulled up to her chest to cover her lithe frame. Her dark red hair was messy, but it starkly contrasted her bright yellow eyes that always seemed to glow like they held some unknown power.

"I wish I could say the same," Hecate said, "And it's Hecate. That's what everyone calls me, I want you to do the same."

"Sorry, _Ember_," Pepper said, emphasizing her real name to no doubt spite her, "But I'm a traitor to the Macabre! I didn't exactly make a habit of following orders."

"You should just be thankful they decided to patch you up after re-educating you," Hecate replied, stopping by Pepper's bed and grasping the safety rails.

"Thankful? Nuh uh, not the least bit. They only patched me up because they still think I'm worth something to them. I am, obviously, but don't expect me to kiss their shoes and sing songs about their mercy," Pepper said. Hecate grinded her teeth. The toothy grin on her old friend's face was enough to make her blood boil.

"You betrayed them. You betrayed me."

"I improvised. I HAD to spill the location of our hideouts, you get it? So a few of our guys got compromised, but that Huntress is pure paranoia. She wouldn't have trusted me otherwise. What else was I supposed to do? I begged, and pleaded, and swore up and down about how sorry I was for leaving the Huntsmen but I had to prove it. And I did," Pepper said, crossing her arms. Hecate looked away from her and shook her head.

"You didn't find anything useful, did you?" Hecate guessed. Pepper shifted in her spot. That was enough of an answer.

"N-No, the good stuff was way top secret. Only her most trusted scientists knew about it. It's weird. Huntsmen kill Grimm. But them...they were doing research for...something. I don't know what. We'd know more if we could get our hands on her, but she cut me off the moment you guys showed up," Pepper said in an accusatory tone. Hecate furrowed her brow.

"We have a plan of our own. Kidnap Huntsmen in training and use them as leverage. She shows up to rescue them and we extract as much information we can before we kill her," she said. Pepper tilted her head to the side.

"Not working too well though, is it?" She said. Hecate cursed under her breath. It annoyed her how easily Pepper could read her.

"The students we were supposed to kidnap escaped. Now they're on our tail. They've become a liability," Hecate said. Pepper narrowed her eyes and leaned in with her arms crossed.

"Oh like me?"

"You said it yourself. You're still worth something."

"That can change really quickly."

"Then I suggest you work quickly to fix this."

Pepper said nothing. Then she reached out and took Hecate's shoulder in her hand, an expression of concern on her face.

"You're taking this awfully serious," she noted. Hecate took Pepper's hand by the wrist and pulled it off.

"All of this relies on me. Of course, I'm being serious," she said. Hecate took a few steps back and turned her body towards the door, "When you make a full recovery, I want you geared up. You and I are going to Beacon to get a scroll from Pine's possession."

"Oh that'll be fun. Outta the frying pan into the fire," Pepper remarked as she stretched her arms into the air, "It'll be like going back in time. I wonder if Port is still teaching there. He always did have the best classes to sleep in."

"Don't get distracted, please."

"For you? Anything."


	16. Heroes and Killers Alike

**I'm SO sorry about the late update. A combination of rewrites, edits, and good old fashioned writer's block slowed this chapter down considerably. Though I'm at least glad that I was finally able to get it out, despite the delay. So thank you and enjoy!**

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Chapter 16: Heroes and Killers Alike

"Now children, towards the end of the Expansion Era, a great deal of factions sprang up within Vale, most noticeable being the United Foresight. It was they who pushed for the immediate termination of the city's attempts to regain control of Mountain Glenn from the Grimm. This faction went on to sponsor several new laws concerning expanding beyond our borders."

Oobleck's lecture droned on, but Jay hardly noticed as she stared at her blank notebook and tapped her pencil's eraser against her desk. Every other student around her was diligently writing notes, their pencils scratching rhythmically against their papers.

"These new laws, which placed more stringent requirements on an expedition's capability of leaving the city, are still in effect today and are the main reason why there has yet to a be another major effort in pushing outwards into the wilderness."

Jay rubbed her eye and sighed. Oobleck was speeding from one side of the room to the other, but even that wasn't stopping her from nodding off or yawning. She was tired. A whole week had passed since Beacon was locked down in response to the attack on the security center. Just like any other school, rumors ran rampant like a plague, everything from an accident to a White Fang attack was talked about over and over again until the excitement died down and the school went back to normal like nothing ever happened.

"Other kingdoms have tried to replicate Vale's attempts with varying degrees of success. Vacuo in particular has managed to establish several outposts far out in the wilds that maintain constant communication with the Kingdom itself."

A soft yawn escaped Jay's lips. She tried to hide it by covering her mouth. True to her word, she had been spending every waking hour looking into the possibility of a traitor lurking around Beacon. She prodded other students for rumors, investigated leads, and pored over every single detail she could remember about the attack. It got her absolutely nowhere.

Her efforts were futile and it frustrated her to no end. She threw herself into her investigation, all but abandoning her actual school work. The more brick walls she hit, the more she was determined to beat her head against them until she broke through.

"Some hope that it marks the beginning of a slow but infallible colonization effort to...oh, Professor Pine!"

Jay perked up and looked towards the classroom entrance along with the rest of the students. Pine was standing in the doorway. He descended down the stairs of the amphitheater style class.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your class Oobleck, but would you mind if I borrowed one of your students for a while?"

An uncomfortable feeling settled itself in the pit of Jay's stomach. When Oobleck nodded his agreement, Pine turned to face her and beckoned her to follow him with two fingers. Jay rose from her seat, tried to ignore the hushed whispers of the students around her, and followed him out into the hallway.

"I-Is something up, Professor?" she asked once Pine closed to the door behind them. He scratched his beard, fixing her with a firm gaze.

"You're being expelled from Beacon."

Jay stared at him dumbfounded. At a complete loss for words.

"Wh-What?"

Pine held her stare. Then he broke into a raucous laughter.

"Haha! I'm just messing with you," he snickered. Jay's cheeks flushed an intense shade of red, her ears burning like a furnace. Her hand balled into a tight fist and she punched him in the arm as hard as she could.

"Y-You...jerk! I had almost had a heart attack!" she nearly shouted. Pine rubbed the arm that Jay hit with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Couldn't help myself. Consider it payback for all those bald jokes you make every day," he replied. Jay crossed her arms into a tight knot, the pout on her face growing deeper.

"Is that all you called me out here for? Cause that is just straight up mean, you know?" Jay said.

"No, no, not just that. In all seriousness, I called you out here because your grades have been suffering lately," Pine said in a much more serious tone, "I understand that Beacon puts a lot on your shoulders and its hard to juggle your assignments. So I'm going to give you and your team a shot at some extra credit."

"Wait, really? Why?" Jay questioned him. Offering extra credit wasn't unheard of, but it was weird he was offering it to her out of the blue.

"You're my favorite student. Do I need a reason other than that?" he asked with a mock-look of hurt. Jay turned her eyes to the floor again.

"Well...no. I just...wasn't expecting it. Ah, forget it. I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth," she said.

"Good, then it's settled. Have your team meet me in Forever Fall after school. There's a small clearing to the south that has a suitable place to set up some experiments about Aura's effects on different kinds of foliage. Sounds boring, I know. But it's the stuff I learned when I was your age so humor the old man when he's trying to pass down what he knows," Pine said. He turned on his heel without left without saying a word. Jay found it odd. Pine had a habit of bantering with her for a while.

She shrugged it off and headed back into class, content with the fact that at least he offered her extra credit with no strings attached. With her grades tanking the way they were thanks to her constant investigation into the Macabre, she needed it.

She just may survive this semester after all.

…

"It's done. Jay's coming out to Forever Fall," Pine's words were curt as he approached the two woman leaning against one of Beacon's rooftop generators. It was the agreed upon place to meet, a safe enough location to get their business done quick so that Pine could get back to his office without anyone suspecting a thing. Hecate pushed herself off and on her feet and crossed her arms as she met him halfway.

"And the rest of her team?" she asked him.

"They'll be coming along as well. I hope that won't be an issue for you," Pine said.

"Don't worry about it, Pine. She underestimated Atlantis and her team. She won't make that same mistake again," Pepper said as she joined the two of them. Pine regarded her with a hard stare.

"Forgive me if I don't exactly believe you," he said. Hecate cleared her throat and held out her hand, palm facing up.

"You brought the scroll with you, right? Let's have it," she said. Pine exchanged glances with them. Hecate stared at him expectantly. Pepper was twirling a lock of dark red hair between her fingers with a gleeful look in her eyes.

Pine produced the scroll from his pocket and held it out the Hecate, "When you spring that trap of yours, assuming you're successful, what are you going to do to them?"

"We use them as bait to draw out Violet Royal just like we intended to. Then we'll dispose of them," she answered him. She grabbed the scroll and tried to pull it free. But Pine didn't let go of it.

"You're killing them," he said. It wasn't a question.

"They're a liability. The only reason we won't do it immediately is because of Violet. Once that's done, they're nothing but a security risk and you know what we do with people like that," Hecate said. For a split second, she glanced at Pepper.

"You're not killing them," Pine said with a growing scowl.

"You don't have the authority to decide that."

"I sure as hell do," Pine yanked the scroll out of her hand and held it away from her, his other hand grabbing his mace from his belt, "You kill them and you're not getting this scroll."

Hecate looked at him with brazen shock. Though Pine kept a calm face, his mind ran rampant. His position afforded him some power, but against the rest of the council there was very little he could do. He needed leverage and the scroll in his hand was his best chance.

"Don't be stupid, Pine. We both know that we can't afford to let the Huntsmen have any advantage over us. Who's going to protect the people in Vale if we're gone?" Hecate asked.

"Those four kids are training to give their entire lives over to those people. I look at them and I can see that they want what's best for this city. All of these kids do," Pine argued.

"And are you willing to risk everything on that assumption?" Hecate asked him. Pine sensed the underlying meaning in her words. The hand on her sword proved that. But he didn't let it deter him. Instead, he used her silent threat to his advantage.

"Here, on top of the most heavily defended school in Remnant, with hundreds of Huntsmen right beneath our feet, yes...I am willing to risk it," he said. Hecate narrowed her eyes. A tense silence fell between them.

"Have it your way then."

Pine expected her sword to clear its sheath but to his surprise, Hecate took her hand off of its handle. He released the breath he didn't know he was holding, "I'm glad we were able to come to an understanding."

"The understanding hasn't come yet. You can hold onto to that scroll until we're done, that's fine by me. But on one condition," she said. Pine felt something hit his gut, like he swallowed a mouthful of rocks, but he nodded anyways.

"Name it."

"You're coming with me."

…

Forever Fall was a densely packed forest that stretched over the majority of Northern Vale. When it was first discovered, it was infested with powerful Grimm and many Huntsmen died trying to reclaim the territory. The sheer numbers overwhelmed them. It took nearly a year to eradicate the Grimm from the area, but the cost was great. The reclamation of Forever Fall was the single largest loss of Huntsmen lives in recent history.

Some people would tell stories about how the blood spilt during the conflict permanently stained the trees and grass a bright red. The name Forever Fall followed afterwards, to always remember the fallen Huntsmen that gave their lives to reclaim the forest.

Jay walked along a small path of crushed leaves and twigs with her friends behind her. Usually a professor accompanied any students travelling in Forever Fall in case any powerful Grimm returned, but Pine assured her in a text message that he had cleared out the surrounding area before her team had arrived.

She found it strange that he wasn't simply accompanying them.

"How much farther until we get there? I'm not outfitted to run a marathon y'know?" Tephra complained from the back of the line.

"We're not even running. Pine said that there is a clearing not to far from the southern edge that has a pile of rocks. That's where he's at," Jay answered her. Though she had to admit, she was getting tired herself. The sun was beating down on her and she had to wipe her forehead of sweat more often than not.

"Better be waiting with some water bottles then. Extra credit won't do us any good if we die of dehydration," Tephra replied, kicking a stone into a nearby bush. Looking towards her sides, a small grin grew on her face as she leaned in and tapped Spriggan on the shoulder, "You know, they say that there are still thousands of booby traps left by Huntsmen that haven't been tripped yet. Might wanna watch your step, Daisy."

"That's just a rumor," Jay corrected her with a shake of her head.

"Might want to save your energy, Tephra. Out of all of us, I think you need the extra credit the most," Ritch added. When Tephra shot him a withered glare, he looked away and began twiddling his thumbs, "Your grades are...eh, salvageable. But this will get you up to a solid C+, guaranteed."

Tephra merely shrugged and said nothing. It was no secret that she was in desperate need of extra credit herself. Pine had just given her a safety net, it was probably better for her not to argue about it.

Suddenly, she jerked to the right. Her Faunus ears shot straight up. Jay and her team learned a long time ago to be on guard whenever she was alerted. Despite being blind, she was the most perceptive person out of all of them.

"What is it?" Spriggan asked her. Tephra scrunched her nose.

"I thought I heard something. Definitely...didn't _seem _like a Grimm," she said. Jay's team searched around.

"If it isn't a Grimm, then what is it?" Jay asked Tephra.

"I...don't know," Tephra admitted. She held her breath for a moment longer, then released it slowly, "Forget it, I'm not picking anything up. Whatever it was, it's gone now."

"Keep your guard up. Whatever it is, I doubt it's going to leave us alone," Jay ordered, pulling her staff free from her belt and extending it to its full length. Following her example, the rest of her team kept their weapons close.

Jay would be lying if she said she wasn't apprehensive. Pine told her he had cleared the area before she arrived. That was almost an hour ago. There was no chance any Grimm were able to move in that quickly unless he had missed some.

But Pine had been a Huntsman all his life. Missing some just didn't happen.

They walked almost a mile before Jay heard Tephra raise her shield and face to the right. Again, the entire team stayed in a tight circle, their backs against each other to avoid getting flanked.

"What is it this time?" Jay asked in a low voice, as if speaking any louder would goad their stalker into attacking.

"Two of them. Something like grass rustling from two different directions then nothing. We're being followed, I know it," Tephra said. Jay tensed her jaw, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. It was the same feeling she had when she was attacked during initiation.

It wasn't going to end the same way if she could help it.

"Ritch move to the back of the group. Sprig and I will take the front. Tephra, stay in the middle and focus on what's around us. You so much as hear a leaf hit the ground, I want to know," she said. Her tone was clear and firm, the voice of a leader. Even if she was just as nervous as the others, she had to look like she had it under control.

In one smooth motion, her team moved to their positions. Tephra buckled her shield on her back and turned the small knob on her bracelet. The constant beeping accelerated like a bomb on the verge of detonating.

Jay found it oddly appropriate.

"Call it a hunch, but I don't think we're dealing with Grimm here," Tephra muttered under her breath.

"How do you figure?" Jay asked her.

"Grimm aren't this clever. They pound around, make noise. I'd know they were coming from a mile away. The only ones that have the sense to hide and stalk quietly like this are the older ones, like Goliaths. But those are way too big to hide in a place like this."

Tephra bowed her head, her brow furrowing together in concentration, "It's people. Definitely people."

Jay paused. Not many people traveled beyond Vale unless they had a good reason to. Scouts looking for a good site to start a village, Huntsmen on patrol, prospectors from companies like Schnee Dust measuring the worth of starting a dust mine in the region. None of them would bother trying to hide from a few students like them, or stalk them for nearly a mile. Nor do it so effectively that they were almost untraceable.

_We're the ones being hunted this time. _

The nasty thought wormed its way into her head. Memories of being ambushed during her initiation sprang forward and sent a shiver down her spine. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she reached for her staff, hoping beyond everything that her worst fears weren't going to come true.

It took less than a second for that hope to shatter.

A line of leaves covering the path suddenly shot up into the air. The sound of metal groaning filled the air. Jay didn't have time to yelp before her ankle was yanked forward and dragged her across the ground.

Jay fumbled for her staff. The rough ground cut into every inch of exposed skin. Her hand wrapped around her weapon and she pulled it free just in time for a small boulder to crash into her side. The jolt sent a spike of pain up her body and her hand reflexively shot open, sending her weapon skittering behind her.

The force pulling her suddenly ascended upwards then stopped, leaving Jay hanging upside down like a pendulum.

And amidst it all, she heard Tephra laughing hysterically.

"I told you, Chief! 'Oh it's just a rumor, Tephra. There's no way an ancient battleground still has booby traps in it. A battle ground that had thousands of Huntsmen in it has got to be scot free!' Thanks for demonstrating so well."

"Yeah, real freaking funny! Could you get me down from here before I pass out from all the blood rushing to my head, please?" Jay shouted back, her entire body swinging from side to side.

"Maaaybe. Kiss up to me a little, then we'll see," Tephra said with a smug grin.

"I'd rather kiss an oncoming car."

Her team circled around beneath her. Spriggan jumped up with her hand outstretched but Jay was too high for her to grab.

"Did anyone see where her weapon went? We could toss it up to her and she can cut herself down," she asked as she scanned the area. Jay bent herself at the waist, trying to reach the metal wire wrapped around her leg. She grabbed it by two fingers and tugged. It didn't budge.

"Stupid piece of...when we find Pine I'm going to have a few words with him about neglecting to tell us about this," she muttered. Fighting the growing headache, Jay pivoted her body, keeping an eye out for the silver gleam of her weapon.

A shimmering light drew her attention.

_There's my baby._

Jay shifted her weight to face its direction. And her lungs were robbed of breath when she saw red blades tearing through Ritch's cheek.

He dropped to the ground, clutching his face in one hand and drawing his sword with the other. His painful cries drew Spriggan's and Tephra's attention and they raised their weapons, facing Ritch's attacker who wore a red leather suit and an equally red mask covering everything but her luminous golden eyes.

Her weapon caught everyone's attention. She wore a pair of gauntlets that reached up to her elbows and each finger topped off with a long, red claw. Vials of dust were attached to her forearms. Each one crackled wildly like a raging fire.

Pepper charged them at full speed, launching herself into the air with claws spread wide. Spriggan hopped backwards, swinging the blunt end of her axe in a short arc as Pepper came into range.

Pepper suddenly bent backwards at an impossible angle as she landed. Spriggan's attack completely missed its mark and she seized the advantage. She dropped down and swept her leg, kicking Spriggan's feet out from under her. Her claws thrusted forward. The sheer force of the blow threw Spriggan back five meters.

She was already on the move again as Tephra fired one volley of fire dust after another. Pepper moved with unnatural speed, weaving in and out of Tephra's attacks like she was water. She closed the distance and drove her knee into Tephra's gut. The Faunus girl dropped to one knee, her lungs trying desperately to breathe.

Jay watched helplessly as Ritch came at their attacker from behind. Pepper planted a foot on Tephra's knee and jumped into a backflip, her other foot colliding with Tephra's chin as she threw herself into the air. At the height of her jump, her claws dug themselves into Ritch's shoulders.

Pepper pulled herself down and kicked Ritch in the small of his back with both feet, sending him crashing into Tephra and sprawling them both on the ground.

"Hold still real quick," Pepper retracted the claws on one of her gauntlets and pulled a syringe from a pouch on her belt, "This'll only hurt for a second."

Ritch tried to swing his sword at her from his prone position, but his blade hit air as Pepper leaned back. He swung again, but to his surprise Pepper threw her fist in a vicious hook. The punch hit his bicep and rattled his entire arm to the bone. His sword fell from his hand, his arm useless as Pepper straddled his chest.

"Ah, ah, ah. We won't be having any of that," Pepper said. With an eager glint in her eye, she jammed the needle into his neck and squeezed the plunger. The pale yellow liquid disappeared. The life in Ritch's eyes faded into a dull nothingness.

Jay watched in horror as Ritch tried to fight off the syringe's effects. She scratched at the thick metal cable holding her leg like a rabid animal, tearing at it so violently that she was almost sure she'd tear off her own fingernails first.

_No, no, no! Damn it, just break! Please!_

A harsh bang drew her attention again. She'd recognize the sound of Spriggan's shotgun anywhere. Twisting her body, Jay tried to call for her friend's help. Her words died in her throat.

Spriggan's shotgun was pointed up at the sky, it's barrel forced upwards by a pair of black swords. Hecate was standing next to her. With a twist of her wrists, Spriggan's shotgun was pulled out of her hands.

Her intended target looked up from Ritch's body and narrowed her eyes. She kicked off his body and broke into a full sprint. Tephra rolled onto her stomach, drawing a small cloud of Dust from her shield and blasting it at the ground. The dirt flash freezed beneath Pepper's feet.

Pepper crouched low. Her running turned into sliding, her momentum carrying her as she swiped her claws at Tephra's face.

Tephra quickly rolled out of the way, jumping to her feet and raising her shield up as she faced her opponent. Pepper closed the distance and opened up with a flurry of slashes and stabs. Tephra dug her heels into the ground, her shield shaking from every blow but unyielding. She ducked to the side as Pepper brought both claws down in a hammer swipe. A stream of Dust encircled her wrist and Tephra thrusted her fist forward. The thick cloud of dust shot towards Pepper and broke off into three individual tendrils of rapidly combusting fire.

The maelstrom of fire converged on Pepper like missiles. The red-clad woman flexed her fingers. An audible hiss escaped the joints of her armored knuckles. Suddenly, each claw was engulfed with a layer of ice and she threw her arms out wide. A wave of viscous icy fluid was flung outwards and made contact with Tephra's fire, exploding instantly into a heavy mist.

Tephra fell into a coughing fit. The oppressive cloud of steam blanketed the entire area and Jay lost sight of her in the thick fog. A moment later, her heart leapt into her throat when Tephra bursted out from the steam, hitting the ground with Pepper on top of her and a syringe ready to come down on her neck.

The needle plunged into Tephra's neck. She thrashed underneath Pepper. Her hands scratched at Pepper's mask, but she didn't even flinch as Tephra's resistance slowly waned and her scratches became half-hearted taps.

She stopped moving. The needle came out. And Pepper met Jay's gaze.

"Two down," she said. Pepper sauntered up to her, each step slow and deliberate like a predator playing with its food, "Ember hyped you all up to be a real challenge. I was looking forward to meeting the famous Atlantis myself."

The wire holding her up jerked upwards then fell unceremoniously. Jay plummeted to the ground and landed on her side. Her head throbbed painfully, like a hot knife boring its way into her skull. She forced herself to look up, searching for the telltale silver body of her weapon even as Pepper inched closer to her.

"Looking for a quick escape route, hm? No different than your mother," Pepper said. Jay fixed Pepper with a furious glare.

"Don't go there," she said through gritted teeth.

"I know it hurts, dear. But you have to face facts. Abandoning an entire village to save her daughter makes her a disgrace to the Huntsmen. That's why she's gone, isn't it? She can't even show her face anymore."

…

Pine hated himself. As he watched Jay's team fall one by one, he hated himself more and more.

This was all his fault. There was no way around it. No excuse could ever justify what he was watching. His students..._his students_, were fighting for their lives, fighting tooth and nail to try and escape their kidnapping and all he could do was watch and make sure it happened.

It made him sick, nauseous. The anxious churning in his stomach since he first agreed to come had festered and grown like a virus. All the training in the world, all the mental fortitude a Huntsmen like him had, couldn't relieve the building tension gnawing at him.

He allowed himself to give in to guilt briefly. He cut Jay down from the trap Hecate and Pepper set up to leave her helpless, hoping harder than he ever had in his life that she would just run. But she didn't. He blamed himself for that too.

"Leave her out of this!"

Pine shuddered when he heard Jay shout those words, filled with unrestrained anger. Jay threw a hard punch, full of passion but lacking everything else. Pepper easily batted it aside and drove the heel of her palm into Jay's chin. The blow knocked her back on the ground.

Further down the trail, Hecate and Spriggan were locked in a vicious battle. Attacks, and parries, and counters were thrown and deflected like a carefully choreographed dance. Hecate was faster and more experienced, but Spriggan's raw power and dangerous reach with her axe was enough to keep her at bay. Though for how long, Pine wasn't sure.

_This was all you,_ the razor sharp thought whispered in his ear. In his hands, he clutched Jay's staff. It was scuffed with dirt but otherwise intact.

By force of will, he managed to calm himself down for a moment. The smart thing to do would be to let whatever was about to happen take its course and go from there. He could negotiate their release or use what power he had as a Macabre councilman to his advantage.

_And then what? All those years of work will have been for nothing, _Pine gritted his teeth. He had been through too much, sacrificed too much, to let his chance slip through his fingers. Becoming a councilman in the Macabre's inner circle took more than his time and energy. His morals had taken a back seat more than once. The war between Huntsmen and Macabre was never-ending. Their differences were irreconcilable. And both needed someone from the other side to bring their fighting to an end.

That was what Pine wanted. As both a respected Huntsman and a Councilman in the Macabre, he was in a unique position to mediate a truce and bring an end to the war that never should have started. If the Grimm wouldn't kill them, the war would. Pine wanted to do everything he could to keep that from happening. He made it his mission to do so.

For now they were taking small shots at each other. But it would escalate to full blown assaults before long. The war would reignite. It would drag on and kill more and more of Humanity's protectors and leave Remnant weaker than it had ever been.

That was what the Huntsmen and the Macabre were blind to. They were killing themselves.

No matter who'd win, they'd all lose.

A harsh crash brought him back to what was happening in front of him. Spriggan was thrown into a tree. The trunk nearly splintered in half from the force as she collapsed to the ground. Pine heard Jay cry out her friend's name. And her split-second distraction costed her. Her arm was violently twisted behind her back as Pepper kneed her in the small of her back. Jay fell to her knees, her face wrought with pain as the pressure on her arm increased.

"Hmm…I'd inject you now but my hands are kind of occupied," Pepper looked right in his direction and he cursed under his breath. He didn't want to play another one of her games.

Cooling his frustration, Pine hooked Jay's staff to his belt and stood up. The cloak he wore would obscure his face and body but that didn't lessen the regret as he strode out into the open path.

Jay was silent but the shock on her face told him everything. He tried not to linger on it for too long, pulling his own syringe out from a pouch in his cloak. The chemical was designed for rapid shutdown of her consciousness and blocked any external stimuli that could wake her up. Even if she did, her mind would be sluggish, making her easy to control.

Pine took some cold comfort in that Jay wouldn't be lucid enough to realize what was going to happen to her.

A sharp gasp and a hiss of a pressurized syringe to his left told him that Spriggan was drugged and out cold. But he couldn't look away from the girl in front of him. His favorite student and friend. There were a myriad of emotions swirling in her face. Anger...desperation…

Fear.

Pine grabbed Jay firmly by the shoulder. She squirmed in his grip but Pepper's claw pressed against her jugular and she froze. Drug in hand, Pine carefully lowered the needle towards her neck, silently asking for forgiveness as the cold tip touched her skin.

He stopped.

He hesitated.

Jay shouted, "HELP ME, PINE!"

And he injected her before she could say more.


	17. This Will Be the Day

**Oh boy this turned out to be a bit lengthier than I expected. But here it is. Thank y'all for being patient and I hope you enjoy this one!**

* * *

Chapter 17: This Will Be the Day

Everything was numb. It took her several times to make sense of what was going on. What sounds she could hear were muffled. Everytime she tried to reach out to hear them, they would dissolve like sand between her fingers. The blackness surrounding her was suffocating. Her arms and legs were heavy and the nausea squirmed in her stomach like an eel. It was a hair-thin line between consciousness and absolute emptiness. She knew there was something out there, but it continued to elude her like a fuzzy memory.

Where was she? How long had she been like this? It seemed like forever. A dreamless sleep that wouldn't end. Part of her wanted to wake up, but the other part of her wanted to go back to sleep.

Dots of light poked through the veil of darkness. They were faint, misshapen spots. Moving…? Yes, they were moving, but slowly. Almost not at all. Were they moving? Yes...and no.

Did that make sense?

She wasn't sure. She was so tired.

She tried to concentrate, but the more she tried to focus, the more those spots of light slipped away.

"_...signal coming through?"_

She stopped. Was that her voice? The pressure against the sides of her head made it hard to make out what was a person and what was just noise.

"_There you are, Violet. After hiding for so long."_

"_How did you get this frequency?"_

"_You should be more worried about them."_

"_Wha-?"_

Those voices weren't hers. Once more she tried to claw her way towards them. Ignoring everything else, she tried to rouse herself from her sleep. But something was pulling her back into the abyss. The more she struggled, the harder its grip was on her.

"_Beacon students?...You kidnapped Huntsmen students. Are you insane?!"_

"_You have no one to blame but yourself, Violet. You let it get this far. Did you think the Macabre would just ignore you after everything?"_

The spots of light crawled closer. Shapes were taking form. Color was sprouting. Spurred on, she fought even harder. And the hold on her grew tighter. A heavy weight pressed itself on her. The oppressive force wrapped around her like a thousand arms dragging her back into the dark.

Despair creeped up. If she let herself be dragged back into nothingness, she would never get out again. She pushed herself beyond her limits. A throbbing pain coursed over her. White hot pricks assaulted what small amount of consciousness she could muster.

All she could do was drag herself back to reality.

"_She's waking up."_

"_Damn it. Adjust the injection up to ten milligrams and dose her again."_

A sharp pinch took her by surprise. The weight on her body intensified and she was pulled back into the void without a word.

…

"Have you finalized your grading for the semester, Conifer? I myself have had to extend more than a few deadlines for some students," Professor Oobleck said as he rifled through the papers sitting on his table. Pine offered a measly grunt in response as he stared at his colleague's blackboard. Every inch was covered with names and dates with a red string connecting them to one another like a spider's web.

"Mr. Bronzewing is in danger of flunking my class for that fiasco with his final paper," he finally said, turning to face Oobleck as he poured himself a cup of coffee, "Plagiarizing his entire report is one thing but he should have been at least smart enough to know not to copy a paper that _I_ wrote."

"Quite forgiving of you. Most professors would have expelled him on the spot," Oobleck noted. A shrill ringing filled the room and the door to the class was flung open to a throng of students as they took their seats. Oobleck set his papers aside and picked up a clipboard, adjusting his glasses as he spoke, "Tread carefully my friend. Some may end up taking advantage of that kindness."

Pine stayed silent as Oobleck turned to the class, "Good morning children. Please remain silent while I read off the attendance sheet."

Oobleck read off the first name, "Jay Atlantis?"

A pained look crossed Pine's face. The entire class was silent. Oobleck repeated the name, watching the class for any response. When none came, he shook his head, "If Ms. Atlantis isn't here, can I assume the rest of her team is absent as well?"

Oobleck marked down something that Pine couldn't see on his clipboard, "Team Jetbead has been missing for three days now."

He didn't need to be told. Ever since that day in Forever Fall, Pine had sat by and watched as Beacon's Professors scratched their heads trying to figure out what happened to four of their students. Of course, they would never find out. Pine had acted completely alone. Nobody else knew he lured them out into the forest. Nobody knew why Team Jetbead had left Beacon without telling anyone.

Except him.

That fact may as well have been a knife slowly piercing his chest. He hadn't slept well the past few days. He had just been going through the motions like a robot, doing whatever he could to try to take his mind off of things. But he was kidding himself if he thought pretending everything was okay was going to solve anything.

The analytical part of his mind rewinded everything that had happened. Everything he did was for Remnant. Whether he was acting as a Huntsmen or as a member of the Macabre, all he ever wanted to do was protect humanity. He had nothing else. No wife, no children, no siblings. Being a protector was all he had left.

But when protecting people meant throwing them onto someone else's mercy, was he really protecting anyone? For the past three days he had been too afraid to answer that question.

_Was it worth it?_

He asked himself over and over again. The words pressed into his skull as if demanding a look inside to see how he really felt about it.

Pine sighed and pushed himself off of Oobleck's desk.

"Do you have any idea where they might have gone?" he asked Oobleck, making sure to keep his voice low enough so that the students couldn't overhear them.

"None, I'm afraid. The best we have is groundless speculation. But with Team Jetbead being missing for as long as they are...we must assume the worst," Oobleck said, "It's regrettable, but we can't send out professors to search for them. Without a clear indication of where they've gone, any attempt to find them would be fruitless."

"I know...I know. I just wish I could do more," Pine said. Oobleck placed a hand on his shoulder.

"We all do, dear friend. Our students' lives are in our hands and it's our duty as educators to prepare them, to watch them grow and become better Huntsmen than us. But there are times like these where something is out of our control. We shouldn't blame ourselves, the moment we do is when everything is lost. The best thing we can do now is hope Team Jetbead finds their way back home. It may not be much. But it is something," he said.

Pine didn't know what to say. His thoughts were still churning. Outside, the deep rumble of thunder from an impending storm filled the silence.

"Thank you for the talk, Bartholomew. I should leave you alone to teach your class," Pine said as he headed towards the door.

"Think nothing of it," Oobleck replied. Pine exited the classroom as small raindrops pattered against the hallway windows. Oppressive grey clouds were moving over the academy, but Pine could only stare at his own tired, drawn out eyes in his reflection. He ran a hand over his face and began to long walk back to his office.

…

Cold. As Jay slowly brought herself back to consciousness, that was the first thing she felt. Her head was like a brick of lead, hanging so low that her chin was pressed against her chest. Her limbs refused to move as if the joints had rusted from never being used. She lacked the strength to do anything but open her eyes and drink in the sight of a grey concrete ground.

"Is she awake?"

Jay was barely able to process the voice before a bucket of freezing water was thrown on her. Her entire body went into shock, eyes wide open, and her breaths were reduced into shallow gasps. The chilling water knocked her back to her senses as she gasped and retched.

Out of desperate animal instinct, she tried to thrash away from the source of water. But she quickly realized she was stuck in a metal chair. Her hands were bound at an awkward angle behind her with a thick black pair of metal braces keeping her legs together with a magnetic lock.

"If she wasn't, she is now."

Jay managed to look up to the two people in the room, her teeth chattering. They wore no masks and their contempt was written plainly on their faces. She recognized one of them.

"Wake up," Gris said, his voice as gruff as ever. Jay blinked. Drops of water fell from her damp hair, "It's been awhile since Mountain Glenn. I honestly wish that was the last time I saw you."

The lingering effects of the injection were still holding onto her. Images of what happened flashed in her mind, but they were a mess of blurry images and loosely connected. She could barely comprehend what she could remember. It was a puzzle that she tried to put together as they kept changing shape. They never fit.

"The dosage might have been too much," the other man said, double checking the scroll cradled in his hand. He was a few years younger than Gris and wore a doctor's coat. His face was strikingly pale and smooth with almost baby-like features. It was the kind of face that never saw violence.

Jay dug deep and forced herself to take slow, even breaths. Every time she blinked her vision became a little bit sharper. The room around her was a depressing, faded grey with a single light bulb hanging over her head. Off to the corner was a table with various medical instruments, scalpels, calipers, and more of the same syringes that were used to drug her in Forever Fall.

_Forever Fall…_

In an instant, everything rushed back at her. Absolute panic overwhelmed her as Jay tugged at her restraints. She struggled as hard as she could, even as her skin turned raw.

"Relax," Gris said. She looked up at him, her lips turning into a hateful frown. The man returned the gesture, "Don't waste your energy trying to get out. Even if you did somehow get out of this room, you got nowhere to run."

Gris leaned close enough that Jay could smell his breath, "You don't even know where you are, do you?"

Jay refused to give him the satisfaction of a verbal response. She jerked her head forward in a savage headbutt.

The drug still had her in its clutches. Her brazen attack was sluggish and telegraphed so easily that Gris hardly put any effort into grabbing her by the hair and yanking her head back. Jay cried out, but she still kept her vengeful scowl.

Gris narrowed his eyes. She half-expected him to slap her or shoot her up with another cocktail of chemicals. The terse silence filled the room with Jay and Gris staring each other down. Baby Face's gaze jumped between them. His hand was half raised towards a large red button embedded in the wall next to a heavy steel door.

"You don't scare me, you know that?" Jay managed to say. Her throat was drier than she expected. She sounded weak.

"After everything you've done to make life hell for us, I'd be an idiot to think otherwise," Gris said as he let her go and took a step back, "You do what you have to. Same as us. I respect that. In the line of duty, people who disobey orders don't last long. Either their leaders punish them or their enemies do," Gris fixed her with a hard stare, "But you're doing this on your own, aren't you? Ozpin would never let students into this kind of fight. He wouldn't even let them know this fight exists. He coddles them too much for their own good. Men like him have their place. Fighting a war isn't it."

Jay remained silent. She wasn't going to talk politics with him. The black polycarbonate fingers of her prosthetic hand curled into a tight fist as she bent it inwards. The cuffs holding her hands clinked together. Solid steel. She couldn't brute force her way free.

"Where's the rest of my team? If you put a hand on them I swear-"

"They're better off than you are. That stunt you pulled back at Mountain Glenn was clever. I'll admit that. Using my own negativity to draw Grimm to us was smart," Gris said. Despite being at odds with each other, Jay could sense the sincerity behind his words, "So I wanted to keep an eye on you personally."

"Lucky me," Jay said sarcastically. Gris turned to the other occupant in the room and made a quick wave towards the door. Without a word, the other man left the room. The door shut behind him with a heavy thunk as Gris faced her again. For an uncomfortably long time, he stared at her like he was sizing her up. Then he turned his back on her and moved towards the table holding the medical equipment.

"There's something I wanted to talk about," Gris said. Jay scoffed at him.

"Yeah? What is it going to be this time? You already preached about how bad the Huntsmen are at doing their jobs," she replied.

"Remember back in Mountain Glenn when I said that I wanted to get the attention of the Huntsmen and Huntresses that put their own needs ahead of everyone else's? Well, now that Violet Royal is on her way, there's someone else I wanted to bring to justice," he said as he pulled up a chair to sit across from her. Jay narrowed her eyes. Something in his tone sounded off, like he was leading her along and hinting at something she should have known.

Then as if he was reading her thoughts, Gris spoke in a clear and sharp voice that left no room for doubt, "After we're done with Violet. Raine Atlantis is next."

…

_Was it worth it?_

The question repeated itself in Pine's head over and over again. It wouldn't stop. When the bell rang to signal the end of classes for the day, he stumbled into his office turning the question over in his head in every conceivable angle.

Logic told him yes. If he wanted the Macabre to listen to him when it came time to call a truce with the Huntsmen, he had to placate them. He had no choice but play along with their game until he had an opportunity to end it.

But if it were that easy, Pine wouldn't have been fretting over it and the civil war between the two group of Huntsmen would have ended long ago. He collapsed into his chair, suddenly feeling more exhausted than he ever had in his life.

The faces of Team Jetbead flashed in his mind. Every one of them had potential to be great Hunters. Hecate promised him that she wouldn't kill them, but he was a fool if he believed that she'd let them go unharmed.

The thought soured in his mind. Unconsciously, he dug his fingers into the armrests of his chair. He did the right thing, he told himself. Hecate got what she wanted, the scroll that Team Jetbead had taken from Mountain Glenn was secure, and Violet Royal was finally going to be caught. By all accounts, Pine's mission was done.

_Was it worth it?_

The question nagged at him even further. Pine shook his head and stood up. Restlessness got the better of him as he reached for the key taped underneath his desk. He stood up and shambled over to his personal locker that held his weapon and various supplies for missions.

Unlocking the locker, he flipped the door open. Jay's staff was inside, along with the rest of Team Jetbead's weapons. He had taken them before Hecate and Pepper could. He had no doubt that they'd dispose of them permanently.

He grabbed Jay's staff and gave it a few practice swings. It was shockingly light compared to his mace. Unlike many other students in Beacon, Jay's weapon lacked a proper firearm, sacrificing range for more agility and speed, the things her fighting style thrived on.

Pine sighed and stowed her staff. The more he stared at the weapons that belonged to his former students, the worse the heavy feeling grew in his heart. In his long life, he had committed more than his fair share of mistakes. He had plenty of regrets, but he never stopped to grieve over them. He was always a forward thinking man.

What happened in Forever Fall clung to him like a hook. It gnawed at him, accused him for everything. For the first time in a long while, he couldn't let it go. He felt horrible. He made a mistake. Pure and simple.

Pine didn't know how long he had stood there, staring at Team Jetbead's weapons as if they held the answer to everything.

He stood there for what felt like hours in silence, like the calm before a storm. He was right about one thing. The mission was done. Violet was on her way. The Macabre didn't need Team Jetbead anymore.

So he was bringing them back.

It was a second before he realized he had his scroll in his hand. He pursed his lips together. Huntsmen didn't survive long without a plan. He was no exception. If he was going to bring Team Jetbead back, he needed backup. Just in case.

He couldn't ask any of the professors. They'd ask too many questions and eventually it'd get back to Ozpin. That wasn't something Pine was ready to face yet.

_When he finds out about me, it's going to be on my terms, _he thought.

He pushed the thought aside as he selected a different menu on his scroll. All professors in Beacon had the numbers of their students logged into their scrolls and vice versa to maintain an avenue of communication between teacher and pupil. Most of the time it was used by students to ask for the professor's help.

_Ironic now that it's the other way around,_ Pine scrolled through the list of teams. He passed by Team Jetbead, noting the large 'X' next to the name that showed their scrolls were unavailable. One of the first things Beacon's professors tried when they noticed the team was missing was contacting them through their scrolls, but Hecate and Pepper had taken it upon themselves to smash them into pieces.

Pine went through the list and hit the name of a particular team. What he was going to do was risky, he knew that. Throwing another team into danger was completely irresponsible of him and he'd likely be fired if Ozpin found out. He wouldn't blame the headmaster if he did.

_Though it wouldn't be the first time I've put students in danger, would it?_ Pine asked himself as he raised his scroll up to his ear. It rang twice before a young voice answered the call.

"Uh...hello, professor?"

"Hi Ruby," Pine replied to her, "How would you and your team like to earn some extra credit?"

…

Jay and Gris stared each other down. The dead silence in the room hadn't stopped since he uttered those words. She had no doubt he was waiting for a reaction from her, using the silence to pressure her into saying something to fill the void. He was going to be disappointed.

Seeing that Jay was determined to remain silent, Gris shook his head with a sullen frown, "Three hundred and forty one people lived in Rue Village. Most of them are dead. The ones who survived wanted someone to blame and your mother was exactly that."

Jay didn't make an attempt to reply. Gris continued on like it wouldn't have mattered if she did.

"The story breaks out all over Vale, your mother is put on trial, and then nothing. She drops off the face of the world and the entire incident is swept under the rug," Gris said. His tone grew increasingly accusatory, "Those who lost loved ones didn't get closure. And your mother, the one responsible for all of it, walks free without any punishment. If that isn't injustice then what is?!"

It took all of Jay's willpower not to argue with him. Everything he said, she heard before. Rue Village had virtually no natural defenses to protect it from the Grimm. Attacks were frequent and the village was on its last legs. The people who lived there constantly asked the Huntsmen for protection, but with its small size and equally small strategic value, their requests went unheard.

It was a hard truth. The ruthless risk/benefit of fighting a never-ending war with the Grimm. Sacrificing manpower to protect a village in the middle of nowhere was simply poor tactics.

Her mother was the only Huntress who bothered to stay with them as a constant guardian. Under her protection, Rue Village expanded, grew stronger, and made a name for itself as one of the most promising settlements to live in. All thanks to one Huntress who stood by their side. But when it went up in flames, the very people who loved her wanted to see her rot in a cell or worse because she chose to save her daughter rather than the people she swore to protect.

"Where is she?" Gris demanded. Jay was stunned by the sudden question. Her lips twisted into a scowl.

"What makes you think I'll tell you?" she finally said.

"We have you locked up in the wilderness with guards patrolling every inch of the place. You're not getting out and people are going to start wondering where you are. It'll only be a matter of time before they come looking for you," Gris said, "People are going to die trying to get to you if you don't talk. Are you really willing to have more blood on your hands?"

"I guess we'll find out together," Jay turned her head away from him. It was the best she could do to end the conversation.

She heard Gris muttering to himself and the heavy groan of the metal door as it swung open, but both were drowned out by a sudden, violent explosion.

The entire room shook underneath the shockwave. Somewhere in the distance, she heard people shouting orders or crying out in pain from an unseen assault. Gris looked up at the ceiling, leaving the door open wide enough for Jay to notice dozens of other Macabre members scattering through the narrow halls with their weapons drawn.

One of them, an adult woman with a pair of hook swords strapped to her back, turned to face Gris, "Something's happened. Hecate says there's Huntsmen attacking the complex from the south. Come on, we have to beat them back!"

Gris growled and pulled his Dust sword free. He glanced at his prisoner for one moment then grabbed the door's handle, "When I'm finished dealing with this interruption, you and I are continuing this discussion."

The door shut behind him before Jay could answer back. She hung her head as more explosions rumbled. The light bulb hanging above her shook spastically from the shockwaves. Bits of dust and concrete fell from the ceiling.

"You're an idiot if you think I'm just going to sit here," Jay jerked her body to the left, shifting the chair closer to the table covered in medical equipment. Among the vials of medicine, calipers, and empty syringes was a pair of scissors glinting in the low light of the room, "Don't you worry, Gris. I'll show myself out."

…

Hecate strode down the wide open halls of the abandoned Grimm Detention Facility with purposeful steps. Her meeting with the Macabre council had ended and she was eager to return to her quarters for some rest until one of the men under her command came to her with news she didn't expect or welcome.

"Pine arrived an hour ago. He's waiting on the top floor, in the balcony," he told her.

She had to resist the urge to brush him off. She would have loved nothing more than to ignore him and retire to her quarters, but he was still a partner of hers despite their tumultuous relationship. It wasn't just her obligation that compelled her to go meet him either. Pine hardly ever contacted her unless it was for a good reason and it was even rarer for him to request to meet her in person.

Coming to a stop in an archway flanked by two of her men, she spotted him leaning on the balcony wooden guardrail. The facility they were occupying once belonged to Merlot Industries, a genetic research corporation that also dabbled in artificial intelligence. Merlot used to be the cutting edge in its field, developing gene enhancement sessions for Huntsmen or programming the latest Smart-City AI's to maintain Vale's infrastructure.

Underneath the surface, however, Merlot had been doing more than that. According to the files left scattered in the building's archive room, the facility they were in was used to both house and experiment on live Grimm. A dangerous and incredibly illegal practice. What exactly the experiments consisted of had been redacted in official reports. Hecate couldn't decide if she was supposed to be relieved or concerned to know that.

Any findings were then reported to the main branch of Merlot Industries located in Mountain Glenn. When the district was destroyed, Merlot took a heavy blow to its business, losing its headquarters and several key scientists, and was shut down. The building they were in now was abandoned shortly after.

"Impressive view, isn't it?" Pine mentioned without turning to face her. Hecate took a cautious step forward. The wooden planks of the balcony floor groaned underneath her weight. The sky was blanketed by ominous grey clouds and tiny specks of rainwater kissed Hecate's bare face as she crossed her arms.

"What do you want?" she asked him curtly. Pine looked down at the sudden drop beneath them. The Merlot Detention Facility was built on the edge of a ravine thousands of feet deep. On the other side of the narrow gorge were forests thicker than a Goliath's hide. The reason was not lost on Hecate. What better place to get rid of evidence of Grimm experimentation than a bottomless pit?

"For you to give it up," Pine said, "You know what I'm talking about. We both know that one way or another, something is going to change between us."

His answer was extremely vague, like he was deliberately avoiding talking about the team he helped kidnap. It set off warning bells in Hecate's head.

"We've been over this, Pine. No matter how many times you persist, the answer is still the same. Team Jetbead isn't going to just go home and forget everything that happened. Either they stay as prisoners here or they continue to interfere in our plans. They're not your responsibility anymore," she said.

"That's where you're wrong," Pine finally turned to face her, his faded green eyes meeting her intense orange ones, "They've always been my responsibility. I may have tried to ignore that once upon a time, but not anymore. You're going to let them go. Drug them again and drop them in the wilderness, I don't care. But they're not staying here another day."

"You're overextending your authority, Pine. My orders come directly from the council. I don't have the obligation nor the desire to follow your demands," she shot back at him. She put a hand on the grip of her sword, silently daring him to make a move. Pine glanced at her then at the two blades dangling from her hips.

"God, Hecate, listen to yourself. You can't cling to every word the council says. They have it out for the Huntsmen and if we give in to mob mentality a lot of people are going to get hurt. Innocent people. Don't be a part of that," he said.

"I'm perfectly aware of that. Which is why we're ending this fight as soon as possible and the best way to do that is to get rid of the people who'd drag this out even longer. That includes Team Jetbead," Hecate replied. Pine spread his hands.

"So you're willing to hurt kids the same age as you? I know you can be hard-headed but even you have to admit that there is something wrong with that line of thinking," Pine told her.

"It's the sacrifice we have to make. If four people have to go to save thousands, that's a choice I'll make without hesitation," Hecate said. She gestured towards the forests, "We're at war, Pine. Tough choices are part of the game. If you can't bring yourself to make them, then you stand aside and let someone who has the stomach do it for you."

Pine stayed silent. Hecate saw the cold, righteous anger bubbling underneath his blank expression. The rain had begun to fall harder. Thunder rumbled right above their heads.

"I'm giving you one chance to change your mind," he simply said. Hecate could tell he meant it.

"Leave. Now," was all she said. Pine held her gaze for a moment longer then shut his eyes.

"If you insist," His tone shifted, becoming sullen. He walked past her towards the archway that led inside. Hecate expected him to make a move or lash out at her, but all he did was step inside without a word. Hecate shook her head and watched the trees on the other side of the ravine sway in the breeze.

"I'm sorry, Ember. I truly am."

Hecate stiffened when he called her by her name. Nobody ever called her Ember except for her partner and half the time Pepper used it to mock her. Wary, she faced him again as he stood near the balcony's exit.

"Don't apologize to me," she said.

"Fair enough." Pine said with a shrug. He reached up and Hecate noticed too late the small transmitter hidden inside his ear.

"Yang, blow it!"

Beyond the gorge a brilliant streak of light rocketed toward them. The fireball impacted the balcony's supports and exploded, setting them ablaze. The floor beneath Hecate's feet lurched forward as a second fireball exploded out from the trees and struck a few feet away from her. The concussive blast shook her down to her core. Waves of heat washed over her. The fire ate away at the wooden supports as pieces of the balcony collapsed into the ravine below.

"Pine, you traitor!" Hecate shouted at him. But he was already gone.

A different sound drew her attention back towards the trees. A large white glyph in the shape of a snowflake appeared before her, pulsing with Aura. Hecate barely managed to draw up her own Aura as glyph released a torrent of energy.

Hecate felt like she had been hit by a freight train. The shrieking of wood snapping and twisting under its own weight was almost as loud as the ringing in her ears. Her back hit a wall and she fell to the floor of the adjacent hall as the balcony gave way and plummeted into the dark pit below.

The wild shots from the trees impacted the building relentlessly, blowing up entire chunks of stone and metal. The very foundations seemed to shudder under the heavy assault. Debris littered the halls as sections of the ceiling crumbled. Hecate could hear the other Macabre members scrambling for cover or trying to make sense of what was happening.

She struggled to bring her arm up. It took all her strength not to have her scroll slip through her fingers as she brought it to her ear, "Huntsmen are attacking from the south! Everyone move in, defend the building. Pine has betrayed us. Kill him on sight!"

"I wish I could say I didn't see that coming."

Pepper was standing over her with her arm held out.

"I knew his idealism would cause problems but this surpasses anything I expected," Hecate said, taking Pepper's outstretched hand and pulling herself up to her feet, "He's trying to rescue Team Jetbead."

"Don't worry, Ember. I'll take care of him myself," Pepper said. She turned and was about to run down the hall until Hecate grabbed her by the wrist. Pepper looked back at her in mild surprise.

"Leave Pine to me," Hecate simple said, letting go of Pepper's wrist. In one smooth, practiced motion she unsheathed her swords and fixed Pepper with a hard stare, "You take care of whoever's attacking the building."

Pepper's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. Her hands curled into fists, then she shot her fingers outwards. The quick motion activated the hidden mechanisms in her armored gauntlets and her red claws sprang out, making a subtle whine as they pierced the air like a razor on paper.

"So is this another 'bring 'em in alive' sort of deal?"

Hecate caught on to her silent question. She didn't hesitate as she answered with a firm shake of her head, "Do whatever you have to do, but don't hold back."

Pepper gave her a languid laugh, "That I can definitely do."

…

Pine was moving at a full sprint, navigating the labyrinth like halls with almost no trouble. He had been here only a few times, when the facility was used as a staging ground for various missions he oversaw, but he still knew it like the back of his hand.

Jay and her team were likely imprisoned in the facility's holding cells once used to house Grimm. They were located in the basement, behind a plethora of security measures and Macabre guards.

Pine glided down a small staircase and into a large room that was used for storage with a cavernous ceiling when the communicator in his ear buzzed.

"_Hope the fireworks didn't disappoint!"_

"It was perfect, Yang. Move to a new position and repeat. I want these guys disoriented. Make as much noise as you can from all sides."

"_No problem__, you picked the right girl for the job."_

Two Macabre guards bursted into the room, swords drawn. Without breaking stride, Pine's mace came up and struck one guard in the shoulder. The sword fell from his head and Pine spun around and crashed his elbow into the man's face before finishing it off with the flanges of his mace hitting him square in the jaw.

"Are Ruby and Blake in position?" Pine asked as he charged the second man, his mace crackling with Aura.

"_Yup! They're on the eastern side, same place Weiss and I are heading."_

The second guard swung his sword in a wide arc. Pine moved away with grace and charged in with raw ferocity. The head of his mace drove into the man's gut and he doubled over, the breath knocked out of him. The Aura imbued in Pine's weapon went off like a bomb, blowing the guard away and crashing him into a shelf filled with supplies.

"Good. Once they secure the route, I should have everything wrapped up here. Keep up the good work," Pine said.

"_You got it, professor. More explosions comin' right up."_

A second after he cut the line, another volley of Ember Celica rounds hit. The wall to his right exploded and an entire section of the ceiling caved in. Pine deftly dodged the rubble and turned the corner into a narrow hallway.

Ruby's team was moving like a well-oiled machine. So far, his plan was working flawlessly. Keep the Macabre confused and off-balance long enough for him to rescue Team Jetbead and get them outside as their route to the awaiting Bullheads was secured.

The first Bullhead was coming in twenty minutes. Ruby and her team would be the only passengers. It was going to circle around the facility a few more times for Yang and Weiss to keep up their distractions before taking off. Pine didn't want them sticking around and putting their lives at risk longer than necessary. Their safety was just as important as Team Jetbead's.

If his timing was perfect, the second Bullhead would arrive just as he'd arrive to the rendezvous point for their get-away. Quick, clean, and minimal casualties.

_You know what this means, right?_ The small, insistent voice in his head said. Pine nodded to himself. He had done the one thing he had been trying to avoid ever since he started playing both the Huntsmen and the Macabre.

He picked a side.

All of his work was gone now. Years of careful planning had gone up in flames like the facility he was in. Without a voice talking from either side, a resurgence of cries for war was inevitable.

But he could worry about the war later. Right now, as he descended down into the bowels of Merlot Industries Detention Block, all that mattered was getting Team Jetbead back home.


	18. Time to Say Goodbye

**Okay so this chapter turned out to be a little bit longer than I expected, but here it is. My dear fic is now legally an adult in some parts of the world. *sniff* they grow up so fast. **

**And now we have Team RWBY making an appearance! It was a bit of a challenge writing them since I wanted to get their personalities perfectly. Hopefully I did a decent job for you all. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 18: Time to Say Goodbye

"Daisy...come on, Daisy. Get up."

Spriggan's eyelids snapped opened like someone had flipped a switch in her head. Tephra was crouched over her and Spriggan could tell she was exhausted. Bags were sagging underneath her closed eyes and her voice lacked any of the fire it used to have. Still, she gave Spriggan a gentle slap on the cheek to rouse her awake, "There you go. Sleep well?"

"Wha...Tephra, what happened?" Spriggan murmured.

"Took a surprise field trip out in the middle of nowhere. Accommodations sucks, staff sucks, and we don't have any food," Tephra leaned in and placed a hand on her shoulder, "We're going to have to eat each other."

"Wh-what?!" Spriggan yelped. Tephra cocked her head to the side.

"Oh yeah. You know, in the olden days, people thought that Grimm were once humans who resorted to cannibalism to survive, and that they're souls were twisted to the point that they became bloodthirsty beasts. Most people think it's a myth now, but why don't we test it out?"

"Tephra, out of all the times to crack morbid jokes, now is probably the least appropriate."

Ritch was pacing along the short length of their cell. He looked just as tired and pallid as his partner. His features were sunken like he hadn't had a single night's rest. Tephra grimaced and bowed her head slightly, "Just trying to lighten the mood, Golden Boy."

Spriggan swallowed a deep breath of dust and moldy air. The wall she sat against was hard and rough, scratching every inch of exposed skin.

Ritch knelt down next to her and examined her for a moment. Her head was still aching like a spike had been drilled into her skull. Ritch furrowed his brow in concern and he held his hand out to her, "Can you stand? From what I hear, they dosed you more times than the rest of us."

"Makes sense. She's a big girl. She'd need more drugs to keep her down. Unlike some of us," Tephra said, rubbing the track mark on her neck. Spriggan took Ritch's hand and he hauled herself up to her feet. Her legs were jelly, wobbling under her own weight, and she almost toppled over. Ritch put her arm around his shoulder, wrapping his own around her waist to keep her steady.

"Wh-where's Jay?" Spriggan managed asked.

"I wish I knew. I woke up in this cell with Tephra sitting in the corner and you slouched against the wall. Aside from the Macabre coming by to give us chunks of bread, I haven't seen anybody else," Ritch said. Spriggan looked around the room they were in. The walls, floors, and ceiling were made of slowly crumbling concrete. Disturbingly, she could make out savage claw marks covering each one.

"They housed Grimm in here, didn't they?" she speculated. Tephra released a forceful breath and shook her head.

"Remember when I joked about eating each other? Well, becoming food for _something_ is certainly still within the realm of possibilities," she said. Ritch left Spriggan leaning against the wall and stopped in front of the single door in the room. It was reinforced with heavy plated armor more suitable for a tank than a prison cell.

"There's no way this is coming down. It's probably built to withstand hits from something five times my size," he muttered. The room shuddered and through the thick walls Spriggan could swear she heard explosions.

"What's going on out there?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. We've been hearing that rumbling for the past ten minutes now. At least I think it's been ten minutes. It's kinda hard to tell time when we don't even have a window in here," Ritch said.

Ritch was right. Aside from the lightbulb illuminating the room, the room was completely empty. No beds, no window. They were completely cut off from the rest of the world. Time was just something else they were deprived of.

"We're all conscious. That's a start. Between the three of us, we should be able to find a way out of here," Spriggan said. She used the wall to support herself as she took small steps towards the door, "Once we do, we need to regroup with Jay and escape."

"It's not going to be easy. This place is probably crawling with guards," Ritch said. Spriggan pressed her ear against the door. Though the steel surface was thick, she could barely make out the faraway explosions that were rocking the building.

"They might be occupied by whatever's going on. This might be our best chance of getting out," she said.

"I mean, that's an A plus plan, Daisy. But we're looking at the hardest part right now. How do we get out of this cell?" Tephra asked. Of course, that was the most pressing question on her mind. Without a clear idea of how to leave the room they were stuck in, any amount of planning to escape was worthless.

Spriggan's jaw hardened. She looked down at her hands and dug deep into her soul. Her Aura was there. A flicker, but it was enough. Spriggan spread her her hand out wide and bent the tips of her fingers towards her palm. A vibrant green aura faintly glowed between her digits like mist. Her Aura grew and shuddered. Then shrunk into almost nothing.

The remnants of whatever the Macabre had injected into her system still lingered in her body. It took a monumental effort just the summon the aura dancing in her hand. It was all she had to work with.

Spriggan pulled her aura-augmented fist back and punched the door as hard as she could. It didn't even make a dent.

A sharp pain ran up her arm and Spriggan was sure it would leave a bruise. Behind her, a low whistle rewarded her efforts.

"Another thousand of those and you might break your hand before you do anything to the door," Tephra remarked as she came up next to her. Spriggan shook it to alleviate the pain, using her last bits of Aura to heal her sprained knuckles.

"It was worth a shot at least," she mumbled. A heavy thunk came from the other side of the door. It swung open and Spriggan stepped away as several weapons were pointed at her. She backed against the far wall as four Macabre guards came inside, aiming their swords and rifles at each of them as the door shut behind them.

"Up against the wall, now!" one of them ordered. His voice was muffled behind the full mask he wore. Spriggan hesitated for a split second. One of the guards pushed her up against the wall, the tip of his knife digging into her side hard enough that a measly yelp of pain escaped her lips.

"Do what the man says."

Spriggan struggled against him, but the blade pressing against her waist stopped her from resisting too much. While her strength was coming back, her Aura was in no shape to protect her. She had to be smart. Pick her battles as her old instructors used to say.

"In case you haven't noticed, we're having a bit of an emergency," one of the guards said. Unlike the others, he wore a deep grey padded coat that concealed his muscular physique. It was obvious he was the one in charge, "Nothing to be worried about, though. We're just, ah, ensuring your security."

He sounded laid back, but Spriggan could pick up the subtle nuances of his body language. The Macabre may not have been Huntsmen anymore, but there were things they could never shake off from their past lives. The tense shoulders and the rigid spine that was a hairsbreadth away from a fighting stance. They were subtle but telling clues that told her he was nervous.

Something had spooked them.

For now, she stopped all her attempts at struggling against her captor. Tephra and Ritch had done the same, keeping absolutely still while staring down the barrel of a gun or the fine tip of a sword. The guards were the complete opposite. They were twitching minutely and their gazes jumped from person to person. If Spriggan tried to attack now, she would be cut down before she could take a single step.

"Alright guys, take 'em around back. Drop them in the ravine. Time to cut our losses."

Spriggan wasn't the only one surprised by his order. The other guards exchanged hesitant glances. The one holding her against the wall looked over his shoulder with a disgusted scowl on his face, "Are you being serious? I'm not killing kids."

"Well what do you suggest we do? Cause from what I hear, these three and their annoying leader have been causing us more and more trouble. This would go a lot more smoothly if we just...put an end to it," the lead man defended. Spriggan could feel the uncertainty radiating off of his cohorts. Rogue Huntsmen they may have been, but they were still human.

"So you want to start killing them? Like Hecate and her partner? I haven't crossed that line and I never will. The second I do, I'm no better than the Grimm," another guard argued. A few of the others nodded in agreement.

"Wow, some real white knights we got stuck with," Tephra remarked. All at once, the guards turned to her.

"Tephra, please, can't you just, for once, learn to shut up?" Ritch asked. Out of the corner of her eye, Spriggan noticed a moving shape slowly entering the cell.

It was too perfect. Everyone's attention was focused on Tephra. The man in the gray coat never expected Professor Pine's mace to smash into the back of his head. Without a chance to bring up his Aura, he felt the full brunt of the attack and collapsed to the ground with a low groan.

The crack of metal on bone drew the other guards' attention. Some shouted for help as they turned their weapons away from Spriggan's team members. This was the best chance she could get.

Without sparing a moment to doubt herself, Spriggan grabbed onto the arm holding her against the wall and threw herself to the ground. The unexpected move and her muscular physique proved to be too much and the man holding her was pulled to the ground.

They both fought for leverage, grappling each others arms and shoulders to gain the upper hand. Surging with Adrenaline, Spriggan punched him in the temple over and over until the man was dazed and pinned him to the ground. Sounds of a struggle reached her ears but she didn't look away from the man she had lying underneath her.

"Where is Jay? What did you do to her?" Spriggan asked, ice forming on the words.

"Get off of me!" the guard tried to throw a fist at her and Spriggan deftly turned her head to the side so that he hit nothing but air. She braced a forearm against his windpipe, squeezing his windpipe and making him choke.

"I'm the most reasonable person in this room. I sincerely hope you take advantage of that," Spriggan replied, staring into his eyes, "All I want is her location. Do us both a favor and tell me as quickly as possible."

Spriggan heard a sharp _click_ and saw Tephra circling around them, cradling a pistol that she had taken from one of the guards lying in a bruised heap on the floor.

"Like hell I'll do that. You're not gonna get me talking. There's nothing you can do to change that," the man said.

"Thanks, but if I wanted your opinion, I'll give it to you," Tephra interjected. She crouched down and cocked her head to the side, "Judging from how easy it was to knock your pals out, you won't be that much trouble either, will you?"

"Fuuuhh...you cocky brats…you talk tough but that's all you can do." he mumbled. Tephra made a show of pulling the slide of the pistol back, exposing the round still loaded in the chamber.

"Ain't cocky if we can back it up," she said. A hint of fear flashed over the man's face.

"Down the hall...around the corner a-and it's the last door at the end," he said. Satisfied, Spriggan punched him across the face and left him lying unconscious on the ground. She took a step back, surveying the room to make sure the room was clear. But first…

"Professor, I'm so happy to see you," she said, turning to face her teacher with a relieved smile. The other Macabre members were lying on the ground beaten and bruised but still breathing. Pine was standing in the middle of the carnage, breathing heavily and wiping the sweat off his brow.

"I could say the same," he huffed. He rolled his shoulders, sighing slightly, "It's been a long time since I've fought human opponents. You never expect the years to creep up on you until you get into a fight like this."

"I take it you've cleared a path for us?" she asked.

"Yes, but for how long remains to be seen. I have a Bullhead coming in a few minutes, so let's get Jay out and leave before they regroup," Pine said.

The four made it out into the halls with Pine leading the way. Bland walls stretched on for what seemed like miles. Panicked footsteps reverberated all around them as the rumbling grew more violent. Whatever was going on had to be destroying everything right above their heads.

Fatigue gnawed at her. Spriggan kept her arms close to her chest and poured her focus inward It was a common aura regeneration technique taught to her back in her days attending Signal. Her fading power radiated from her heart and slowly wove its way to her limbs. She moved with a little more purpose, each step feeling more energized than the last.

Keeping herself at the ready Spriggan stopped behind Pine as he peered around the corner. True to the guard's word, there was a single closed door at the far end of the hall. Jay's cell. Spriggan unconsciously balled her hands into fists. An uncomfortable heat grew in her chest, rising up to her neck. She had to fight down the urge to charge in and see her dear friend again.

Pine seemed to sense her riled nature because he turned around and took hold of her upper arm, "Easy there. Remember your training. You can't help anymore if you're not thinking straight."

Spriggan blinked.. He was right, of course. Her training was important. It saved lives, including hers, because she obeyed every bit of it. She shook off the agitation with a few slow breaths, willing herself into a state of calm before nodding.

She joined Pine in peeking around the corner. Another guard appeared from an adjacent hall and they both fell back before he noticed them. They watched as he pulled a keycard out from his pocket and inserted it into the card reader underneath the door handle. With a soft chime, the magnetic locks disengaged and he stepped inside.

For the briefest of moments, Spriggan saw Jay strapped to a chair with her head down before the door closed shut and locked again.

…

Jay winced when she heard the door shut with a metallic clunk. A single person stood in front of her with his arms crossed. She had hoped that it would be Gris who came back to her cell. The man was a skilled fighter, she recalled their duel in Mountain Glenn where she ended up captured, but his idealism could have been manipulated if she had been careful.

The new guard was young. A few years older than her if she had to guess. Like some of the other Macabre members, he wore a mask and black cloak over light leather armor.

She spotted a small key dangling from his belt and allowed herself a small smile. It wasn't Gris, but it was her ticket out all the same.

"You're being moved to a more secure location," the man explained as he strode over to the table in the corner of the room, "I'll make this quick so stay still."

He picked up a small glass bottle and pushed a syringe's needle through the plastic top, filling it with a pale yellow fluid. Jay only had one shot. If she messed up, she'd be sedated again and her chances of breaking free would disappear.

The man circled around her, angling the syringe so that it could pierce her neck. It came closer with each passing second, and Jay made her move.

She lurched forward until her feet hit the ground and threw herself backwards. Her body protested against the strain but Jay ignored it as she felt the back of the chair slam into the guard head on.

He tumbled to the ground with Jay landing on top of him, her hands blindly grabbing for the key on his belt. Her finger caught the key's teeth and she yanked it free to slide it into the lock on her cuffs, the metal binds coming undone and slipping off her wrists.

She rolled onto her stomach, searching for the lock on the metal brace that held her legs together.

A heavy blow smacked the back of her head so hard she saw stars. Her face smacked and rebounded off the cold ground. Her aura, brutally depleted from exhaustion, couldn't stop her from tasting blood in her mouth.

When her vision came back, she found the man hovering over her and thrusting the needle at her neck. Jay moved out of pure instinct. She reached into her jacket's sleeve and pulled out a gleaming pair of scissors, tucked firmly in between her fingers.

In a fraction of a second, they plunged into the man's bicep. He howled as he lost his grip on the syringe. Jay cringed when she heard his agonizing cries and the more he thrashed trying to back away from her, the more the scissors twisted deeper into his arm.

Jay rolled them both over until she was on top of him, yanking the scissors out and trying to grab the syringe on the floor, but the guard fought through his pain and grabbed her by the wrist, using brute strength to crush it while Jay fought to keep herself from shouting out.

The guard pushed her off him and, in a fit of willpower, grabbed the syringe even as blood gushed down his arm. Jay tried to pick herself up to put distance between them. There was no room to maneuver in the cell. It was like fighting in a phone booth. But then the unthinkable happened.

The door to the cell suddenly swung open and Jay almost gasped when she saw Professor Pine standing in the doorway. The guard barely had time to react before Pine's mace swung at his head in imperceptible speed.

Pine's mace hit home, striking him across the jaw. Jay's captor was out cold before he hit the ground. The professor kept his weapon in the air, waiting, watching for the slightest movement until he was satisfied the unconscious body wouldn't get up again.

"Jay, are you okay? You're not hurt too bad?" he asked. She was still too dumbfounded to answer him. He grabbed the key lying on the floor and undid the lock. The brace fell apart into several pieces before Pine pulled Jay up to her feet. Her knees buckled underneath her weight like they hadn't been used in days.

"I-I fine. But how did you find this place? How did you even know we were missing?" she asked.

"I knew something was wrong when your team didn't show in Forever Fall. I looked around for hours until I found what looked like signs of a struggle. Broken tripwire, spent Dust," Pine explained as he checked outside and motioned to someone Jay couldn't see, "I may be Beacon's Aura professor but I've done a fair bit of tracking in my time. Everything pointed to this rundown facility out in the middle of nowhere."

Jay's team came into the cell and Spriggan immediately locked her in a tight embrace, "Goodness, I'm so happy you're okay."

"O-Okay ease up there, Sprig. Still a little sore," Jay croaked as her friend squeezed, lightly patting her friend on the back.

"Oh, my apologies. I got a little ahead of myself," Spriggan quickly let her go and rubbed the back of her head.

"We don't have long. I've got a team of Huntresses keeping the Macabre busy but they're set to takeoff in a few minutes. We have to be out of this building before then," Pine urged them. He led them outside and through the of winding passages. Bits of concrete and water drops fell from the ceiling like the building was slowly rotting away. Jay noticed that there were more than a few guards laid out unconscious along the halls as they came close to what appeared to be a wide open room.

She focused her attention forward. Pine was walking warily a few paces ahead of her. She still felt woozy, but she could tell he was running on fumes. She could only imagine how many people he had to fight to get this far. Jay and her team could barely hold their own against a few. Pine must have taken on an actual army trying to find them.

The silence was stifling. She didn't know why, but Jay felt compelled to say something.

"Hey Pine, thanks for coming after us," Jay whispered to him. He looked back to her with a troubled expression.

"Don't thank me yet. I still have to get you out of here," he redirected his gaze forward, adding in a much lower voice, "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry for not coming sooner."

"You don't have anything to apologize for. There's nothing you could have done to stop this," Jay assured him. That got her a mere shrug from her professor.

"...Yeah."

The group came into a wide open room. Jay was disturbed by what was inside. Rows of operating tables were organized in the middle with empty cages surrounding the perimeter. Dried puddles of black fluid stained the floors and walls and Jay had to pinch her nose to keep herself from gagging on the awful smell.

"What kind of place is this?" she asked. Pine shook his head as they crossed the room.

"The kind of place that should be buried," he said. Another explosion rocked above them just as he finished, "Come on, we have to get going. This place is sturdy but it isn't going to hold up forever."

They quickly crossed the length of the room, heading for a pair of double doors. Jay almost thought they were free until the set of doors were flung open and group of ten Macabre agents stormed in. Hecate was leading them. She commanded her men with a series of smooth hand motions and they all fell into line, effectively surrounding them.

Pine cursed under his breath and raised his mace. The Macabre spread throughout the room, weapons up and aimed straight at him. Hecate unsheathed her swords and watched Pine with anger written plainly on her exposed face.

"You're not getting any farther," she said. Jay glared at Hecate, her body coiling like a spring to attack at a moment's notice. But Pine placed a firm hand on her shoulder to keep her still.

"Get your team outside. The first Bullhead will be out there soon. You're getting on it even if I'm not there," he said. Jay wished she had misheard him.

"What? You're not staying behind," she told him, pushing against the hand on her shoulder.

"Yes I am. I'll be on the second, but I want you to get out of here as quickly as possible," Pine replied without taking his eyes off Hecate, "I made a promise to Ozpin when he hired me. The same promise every professor in Beacon made. That no matter what, we'd protect our students, even if it meant giving our lives up."

"You say it like I'm not gonna see you again," Jay said, cracking an empty smile. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay by his side, help him.

She didn't want more people sacrificing themselves for her.

"Take care of yourself, Jay," Pine said, positioning his mace over his head while stretching his free arm outwards. His arm was engulfed in bright dark green Aura, humming and pulsing like a living thing. A hint of a smile appeared on his weathered face, "Don't worry about a fossil like me. You got a bright future ahead of you so face it head on."

She didn't move from her spot. Pine finally turned to face her and spoke in a tone that left no room for argument, "Don't stay here to protect me. Leave to protect your friends."

Jay hesitated, but ultimately motioned for her team to enter the elevator. Two of the Macabre guards moved to intercept them, but Pine thrusted his hand at them and his Aura was set off, unleashing a shockwave of pure energy, upending several operating tables and throwing the guards into the wall with the force of a hurricane.

The powerful display of weaponized Aura surprised her, but Jay quickly shook it off to join the others. Pine was the Advanced Aura Applications professor and had been practicing Aura manipulation for decades. He knew how to utilize it better than she ever would. Part of her wanted to be comforted by that. Surely someone so attuned to their Aura and fighting with decades of combat experience knew how to handle themselves.

Pine had to be okay. There was no doubt in her mind.

Team Jetbead piled into the elevator. Just as Jay hit the button to take them to the ground floor, Pine shouted out to them, "I left something in the lobby for you. Thought it'd held you out. I'll meet you out there soon. I promise."

The doors closed in front of her and Jay's final 'thank you' died in her throat.

…

The torrential downpour was relentless but Ruby Rose moved as fast as she ever had. Her scythe was a whirlwind, tearing through rain and person alike. A man behind her thrusted his sword at her back but Ruby saw it coming from a mile away. The barrel of Crescent Rose planted itself in the muddy ground and fired a high caliber round that shot Ruby's lithe body skywards as she swung her scythe like it was a toy.

The curve of Crescent Rose's blade caught her attacker by the shoulder and dragged him back as Ruby landed behind him. The tables effectively turned, she fired another round and twisted the angle of her scythe.

The recoil threw the man across the open field they were fighting in and into an empty truck. Ruby didn't let him rest for a second. Like the bullets she was firing, she launched herself at dizzying speeds and smashed her feet into the man's sternum, nearly rolling the truck over with the brute force.

Ruby was already on the move again before the man hit the ground. Two more were closing the distance, one with a pair of hook swords and the other with a halberd. Ruby held her scythe out in front of her, dug her heels in, and waited for her perfect chance.

A black silhouette flashed above them. From its hands, a long ribbon distended and wrapped itself around the arm of the man with the halberd. A moment later, Blake landed between Ruby and the her opponents. The hand holding her ribbon yanked it forward as the other came up, sharpened sheath in hand, to block an incoming strike from the woman with hook swords.

The hard tug was enough to temporarily stumble the man and Ruby seized her chance, propelling herself forward and spinning her scythe like a buzzsaw. The rapid slashes from an immense weapon were pushing the man back until his guarded stance shattered and he lost his balance.

Ruby fired off another round and her scythe came at him at an unexpected shaft of Crescent Rose collided with his knees and she heard him shout through the heavy rainfall as he fell to the ground.

Meanwhile, Blake brought her ribbon in and folded the gun on the end back into its katana form. Both weapons swung back and forth, intercepting the hook swords of her opponent in a flurry of combos.

Blake threw a wide swing to the right. Her opponent eagerly took the bait. Blake's katana went wide and the woman slashed at her exposed side. The attacked connected, and Blake dissolved into thin air, her image fading away as if she was never there.

The woman was briefly confused and it was enough for Blake to suddenly appear above her and swing Gambol Shroud in broad strokes. She chipped away the woman's aura in seconds. Another shadow clone appeared where she was and Blake kicked off it into a roll, landing behind her target and delivering a final shattering blow to the spine.

Her opponent crumpled to the ground. Blake kept her katana close in case she tried to move again. Satisfied that she was no longer a threat, Blake stepped around the body to meet up with Ruby.

"We're clear for the moment," she said. Ruby nodded and brought her scroll up.

"Professor, we're all done here!" she said. Pine didn't respond. Ruby ejected the magazine from her scythe and inserted a fresh one as she tried to raise him again, "Hello? Professor? Can you hear me?"

Still nothing.

"Professor Pine isn't answering. Something might have happened to him," Ruby folded her scythe into its sniper form.

"He's a trained Huntsman. A few bandits aren't going to stop him. Give him a little more time," Blake said. Ruby gave a slow, single nod. According to him, there were marauders plundering old buildings and stealing everything they could to sell in illegal markets. To make matters worse, another team was sent to investigate them but disappeared shortly after. Pine said they were taken prisoner and insisted to rescue them himself while her team provided their escape.

It seemed easy enough at first. Most of the bandits she had fought weren't skilled fighters. Some fought like washed out Huntsmen even. Whatever skill was there was rusted and clumsy, not even a challenge to a Beacon-trained Huntress like herself. Whoever was inside was definitely no challenge for Professor Pine.

But the fact that he wasn't answering made her worry. He made it very clear to them that her team was getting on the first Bullhead out of the forest no matter what. But Ruby couldn't bring herself to come to terms with that.

"Ruby, there's one coming our way," Blake readied Gambol Shroud. Ruby turned to face the man calmly walking towards them and aimed her crosshair square on his head.

"More kids. I should have expected as much," Gris muttered as he approached them. Ruby immediately fired a slug. The high velocity of her bullets would tear through a Grimm's hide like wet tissue but Gris raised his sword and blocked her shot without breaking stride, "I'd rather go after whoever was blowing up our base, but you'll have to suffice for now."

What he said made Ruby realize something. The explosions had stopped. Yang was supposed to keep going until they had left.

Blake fired a hail of bullets. Instantly, Gris swung his sword upwards. A wall of ice sprang up in front of him. Blake's bullets hit the icy surface and ricocheted harmlessly away from him.

Ruby fell back to her old strategy, using the recoil of her weapon to flank her new enemy. She dashed from place to place, never staying still for long. Gris back stepped away from his pillar of ice as Blake jumped over it and unloaded the rest of her magazine.

With his attention drawn, Ruby circled around him and charged in, swinging her scythe for his leg in hopes of disabling him and ending the fight quickly.

But her hopes were dashed. Gris stopped her scythe in its tracks with his sword and pointed the tip at Blake. His blade glowed yellow and a bolt of electricity lashed out at her like a whip.

Blake didn't have time to react. The lightning struck her dead on and sent her flying. Gris whipped around and attacked Ruby relentlessly, scarcely giving her room to breathe as he swung his sword with unrelenting fervor.

Ruby jumped back, narrowly dodging his sword. Crescent Rose folded in her hands and she fired short bursts to keep Gris at bay.

"This will only get worse for you to more you struggle," Gris said, dodging and blocking every shot Ruby fired. He stabbed his sword into the ground and waves of icicles shot up, barrelling towards Ruby at incredible speed. Instead of dashing to the side, she hopped backwards and swung her scythe out to cut each icicle that shot up in front of her.

Between the flying shards of ice and the heavy rainfall, Ruby lost sight of Gris. She fired relentlessly in general direction of her target, shell casings littering the ground around her feet.

"Ruby! Ruby, stop!"

Blake's voice cut through the ear-splitting cracks of Ruby's sniper-scythe and she did as she was told. Her Faunus team mate was in a half-stumble half-run towards her while clutching her side. Before Ruby could say anything, Blake tackled her to the ground and wrapped her arms around her.

A sudden hammer of noise assaulted her ears and a fat plume of fire and smoke scorched the ground where she had stood. Heat washed over her in a brief but intense blast and vaporized all the air in her lungs.

Blake's Aura flowed over the both of them to protect them from the blast. By the time the explosion had died, Ruby was coughing as she tried to haul herself up, ignoring the embers clinging to her clothes.

Gris was slowly advancing on them, his sword engulfed in the very flames that were burning through the grass around them.

More figures appeared from the downpour, phasing into existence like ghosts in the rain. All of them wore the same black clothing Gris did, aiming their trick weapons and conventional firearms in Ruby's direction. But they weren't moving in, only watching her from afar.

Gris was standing a few meters away. He cocked his head to the side, watching Ruby in what she could only describe as weariness, "I'm getting tired of this. Really I am." Gris bowed his head, "Just surrender, alright? I don't want to do this anymore than you."

Blake and Ruby glanced at each other. The latter got up to her feet. Some of the marauders tensed in response. Rifles cocked as they were aimed straight at Ruby's head.

"Then let those other Huntsmen go," she said. Gris gave a bitter laugh and shook his head.

"That's not possible. The moment we do, this...fight drags on for even longer. They'll make sure of it."

"That won't happen," Ruby assured him.

"It will. I've seen their type. I've _fought_ their type. It's as inevitable as the sun going down," Gris said. He took one step forward. The fire blazing around his sword grew more intense, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you take them. It's only cuts and bruises now, but eventually someone is going to die."

"That won't happen," Ruby repeated. Gris arched an eyebrow. Ruby looked all around her then said, "That won't happen because I'm going to end it now."

The other Marauders were already squeezing the triggers of their guns when Ruby yelled out, "Ladybug!"

Blake and Ruby both disappeared as bullets peppered the ground where they stood. Trails of rose petals zoomed from one side to another, knocking over one person after another as Ruby pushed her Semblance to the limit. Any men she missed were swiftly brought down as Blake phased in and out of existence, slashing one bandit across the chest before disappearing and appearing to deliver a series of blows to another.

Ruby skidded to a stop in front of Gris. She aimed the barrel of Crescent Rose for his chest. Neither of them moved.

"Are you going to kill me?" Gris asked her. Ruby pursed her lips. Her fist squeezed the high-quality rubber grip of her sniper-scythe, but her finger didn't twitch on the trigger.

They said nothing until Gris gave her a small smile, "You're one of the better ones, at least."

Somewhere behind her Ruby heard the rustling of leaves and she looked back to see Yang burst through the treeline with her back to her sister.

Yang slammed her fist down into the muddy ground, slowing herself down until she stopped a few inches short of Ruby. She was breathing heavily, but her wide grin didn't break.

Weiss came through the forest a moment later, hopping from one glyph to another before landing gracefully next to the blonde brawler with her rapier raised in her typical en garde position.

Both of them watched the forest intently. Then someone else came through the trees, covered from the neck down in a form fitting red leather suit. Her face was obscured with a featureless red mask that showed nothing but her unnerving golden eyes. Her long dark crimson hair was unruly and stuck out in places, but flowed elegantly as she approached Ruby's sister and partner.

"Didn't miss much, did we?" Yang asked her. Ruby turned her gaze back to Gris and raised Crescent Rose.

"Nope," she simply said.

"He's much tougher than the others," Blake said as she appeared next to Ruby. Yang scoffed and cracked her knuckles.

"Makes it more fun though, right?" she said.

"Of course you would think this is fun," Weiss muttered. Yang flicked a strand of hair out of her face and assumed a boxing stance.

"Gotta have some excitement in your life," she said. Ruby turned to face Gris and pulled the bolt of her sniper-scythe, ejecting the empty shell and loading a fresh one. She had her team back together now. Team RWBY was going to save the day.

With everyone by her side, she had nothing to worry about.


	19. When It Falls

**You see this stick? Yeah, beat me with it. Cause wow, I should have put this out a lot sooner. But...college. *Shakes fist at the sky***

**Anyway, I'm going to push myself to update this faster. I really don't want a delay like this to be the standard. But enough of that. Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 19: When It Falls

The doors to the elevator opened to an empty chamber, nearly pitch black were it not for the early moonlight bleeding through the cracks in the ceiling. Jay was the first one out, turning in a slow circle to make sure the area was empty of Macabre before motioning her team to follow her.

From the look of the room, Jay had to guess they were in the main lobby. Rows of pillars held up the high ceiling and what looked to be a receptionists booth was situated at the far end. There were pronounced holes in the roof above with raindrops pouring through and leaving large puddles of water along with debris and craters that littered the tiled floor.

Sounds of battle reached her ears. The thunderous booms that used to shake the ceiling above her head were now coming from somewhere outside. It wasn't just explosions either. There was thunder. Like the rolling of a drum. Rain pattered against what few intact windows were left. There was more to it too. The crackle of Dust, the sharp pops of a high-caliber firearm, and the whistles of a razor sharp blade slicing through air mixed together in a crescendo that could be heard even through the growing storm.

"That must be the team of Huntresses Pine mentioned," Spriggan said as she came to her friend's side. Jay nodded absentmindedly. She bit her lower lip. She should have been planning out their next move, but all she could do was run scenario after scenario in her head. Not of their escape, but of Pine's fight happening not even twenty feet under them.

"As much as I'd like to help them, we can't do anything without weapons," Ritch said. He scanned the area around them, looking for anything they could use to defend themselves. Jay turned back towards the elevator, lost in her didn't notice Spriggan turn to her and tap her on the shoulder, making her jump in surprise.

"Are you alright? I'm worried about Pine too. But in our condition, we'd be more of a hindrance than anything," Spriggan said.

"I know, I know. Doesn't make me feel any better, though," Jay replied. Spriggan opened her mouth to say something until she was cut off by Tephra shouting out to them.

"Hey Chief, Daisy, you guys are gonna wanna take a look at this."

Tephra and Ritch were standing in front of one of the small craters. Jay gently nudged them aside. Planted firmly in its center was one of Beacon's rocket lockers with Pine's name written on the nameplate.

Jay reached out and unlatched it. Inside was none other than the weapons of her team.

"Pine knows how to bring a smile to your face. I'll give him that," Tephra said. Jay grabbed her staff, finding some comfort in the familiar weight of her weapon.

One by one, Team Jetbead armed themselves. Jay stared at the lobby's entrance. The front doors and the wall surrounding it was completely made of glass, providing her with a view of the explosions erupting beyond an empty lot along with odd streaks of red darting in and out.

Jay turned to address her team. Pine was right. She had to protect them first and foremost. She needed to focus for their sake.

"Okay...so here's what we're gonna do," Jay started, pushing herself back into her role as leader, "Sprig and I will take up point and make our way to the other Huntresses. Tephra, Ritch, you guys hang back. Pick off any Macabre still left from a distance and take the heat off of the others. We're not gonna be aggressive. No chasing them down if they run. All we have to do is stay alive until the Bullhead arrives. Nothing else matters. Everyone got it?"

The team nodded. Jay remained silent for a moment longer, then took a deep, calming breath, "Tephra, say something."

Tephra raised an eyebrow. She gave her leader a hesitant shrug, "Eh, Chief? Why? I got nothing to say."

"We're about to do something really dangerous and I think we're all riled up. So...break the tension will you? Say a joke," Jay replied. Tephra stared for a moment longer

"You."

Jay snickered and shook her head, "That was terrible."

"They can't all be winners," Tephra replied. Together, they moved out the front door with Jay leading them.

Outside, the rain slammed into her like a heavy fist. Her clothes were already soaking by the time she was halfway across the lot. The closer she came to the fighting, the more she could make out the people in the plain beyond.

Two of them immediately drew her attention. Gris and Pepper, both of them taking on two Huntresses at the same time.

They were holding their own, but they were outnumbered. Between Jay's team and the Huntresses fighting them, even their combined skill wouldn't be able to keep up.

Jay pointed two fingers directly at the large group ahead of them. Tephra and Ritch got the message. Ritch loaded his crossbow and took aim, pointing his crossbow at an elevated angle as his partner coated the tip of his bolt with a sheen of red dust.

With a twitch of his finger, Ritch sent the bolt flying. As it reached its peak and began to fall, Tephra set it on fire with a snap of her fingers. It streaked through the air, leaving a faint tail of smoke behind it.

The bright light caught Gris' attention. He beat back the red cloaked girl and her bow-wearing friend and he reacted just as quickly, slicing his sword out to cut the bolt down the middle.

Tephra followed up with a volley of icicles, forcing Gris to focus his attention on her while dodging the sharp shards of ice. The two huntresses seized their opportunity, catching up to him as he dodged Tephra's bombardment to slash at him the moment he let his guard down.

Jay kept careful watch over the battle. With four people on him, Gris was effectively hampered. All he could do was defend himself and evade their blows, unable to strike back lest he expose himself to a counterattack.

Jay turned her attention to Pepper. The blonde girl fighting her had been keeping up at least, throwing a few feints and short jabs to keep Pepper guessing and on her toes.

Her white haired companion had been hanging back, hopping from glyph to glyph to get a better angle and only diving in with a few thrusts of her rapier once she perceived an opening. Every time she did, however, Pepper somehow managed to put the blonde between them, forcing her companion to redirect her thrusts to avoid hitting her in the back.

The brief fight in Forever Fall was all too fresh in Jay's mind. They couldn't afford to underestimate her again.

Jay glanced at Spriggan and tilted her head towards the fight. She moved quietly, keeping low and holding her weapon close to her chest as she unfolded it to its full form. With Spriggan following close behind her, they circled around the fighting while keeping a careful eye on Pepper until they took cover behind an empty truck.

"She's starting to get really annoying," Jay muttered.

"Attacking her head on isn't the best strategy. She relies so much on her opponent making the first move. She'll counter everything we throw at her," Spriggan replied in a near shout as the rain pattered all around them. Jay pinched the bridge of her nose, burrowing through a mess of memories and lessons to try and drag up some kind of counter strategy.

"Then let's make sure she doesn't get the chance to do that," Jay said. She came closer to Spriggan and clasped her friend's hand in hers. A brief but intense heat gathered between their fingers as Jay transferred some Aura to her, "I know you don't like using your Semblance, but if it means getting a leg up on her…"

Spriggan's gave her a worried look. But if there was another way, Jay wouldn't have asked her. Her Semblance was nothing special but it would help gain the advantage; they both knew that.

It was what would happen to her when she used it that concerned the both of them.

"I-I understand," Spriggan said as she began to rise to her feet. Halfway up, Jay grabbed her forearm and pulled her back down.

"If it gets too bad let her go," she said as they both stood up. Spriggan nodded and turned to face the fighting. She took long deep breaths, wiping away the raindrops on her face.

The first thing Jay noticed was the faint green glow emanating from her chest. The soft light moved slowly down her body like the raindrops that still clung to her face, first down her belly, then splitting into two and working down both legs, until they reached the soles of her shoes and bled into the muddy ground.

Spriggan's teeth clenched. She tried to hide it, but Jay couldn't miss it or the minute twitches of her body. It was like someone was poking her with a red-hot iron.

A uncomfortable grunt escaped her pursed lips and without wasting another moment, Spriggan stomped a foot into the dirt as hard as she could.

The glow shot out like a lightning bolt, streaking across the ground haphazardly like a crack in the earth, weaving from one direction to another.

Pepper didn't see it coming. She was too busy deflecting punches and dodging the business end of a rapier. She had no idea what was happening until the streak of green light reached her and bursted in an explosion.

Then one by one, long vines shot up from the ground, wrapping themselves around her legs and arms, thorns biting into her like teeth. The more she struggled, the tighter the hold on her was.

Yang was all too eager to take advantage. She threw punch after punch, each one connecting and almost sending Pepper to the floor were it not for Spriggan's vines keeping her upright.

Jay allowed a small smile to take hold. Gris was distracted, Pepper was helpless. The tables were finally starting to turn on them.

She heard a sharp breath to her right. Spriggan sucked in a ragged breath, using the truck to support herself. Yang punched Pepper in the gut and immediately Spriggan doubled over, gritting her teeth.

"Sprig, let her go," Jay urged her, but Spriggan adamantly shook her head.

"It isn't too bad. I can still hold on," she steadied herself. The pain on her face receded, though only slightly. Jay wasn't an idiot. Spriggan was hitting the end of her rope. Every punch Yang threw was hurting her more than the last.

Jay cursed under her breath. The color was rising into Spriggan's neck, a look of concentration and barely-hidden agony crossing her face. She bit her upper lip and clenched her fists tighter, the vines coiling around Pepper squeezed harder in response, thorns tearing into her suit.

Yang reeled her fist back and launched it up, cracking Pepper in the jaw in a vicious uppercut. The effects were immediate.

Spriggan staggered. The light from her eyes was gone. She lost her balance and fell. Jay rushed to grab her from behind before she hit the ground.

"Easy, easy! Don't move around too much," Jay eased her to the ground, transferring what meager Aura she could.

Spriggan's fists slackened and fell limp at her sides. The vines holding Pepper in place disintegrated into motes of light as Yang prepared a haymaker that would have ended the fight if not for her target grabbing her fist at the last possible moment.

"Cute trick," Pepper remarked. Her mask was cracked and her clothes were torn, but she still held herself with unwavering strength. The hand holding Yang's fist jerked down and pushed hard, bending her wrist in a way it wasn't supposed to.

Yang gritted her teeth. Her Aura flared to life, and through the obvious pain, she grinned.

"You ain't seen nothing yet."

The blade of Jay's staff fired and struck Pepper in the spine. The hand holding Yang's fist shot open. With a subtle motion of her fingers, the mechanisms deep within Ember Celica roared to life and fired a high-impact explosive shell.

The barrel of her shotgun gauntlet was pointed straight at Pepper. She didn't get a chance to react before the shell exploded in her face and sent them both flying in opposite directions.

Weiss, who had been hanging back, made her move. Two fingers pointing, a pair of blue-white glyphs appeared on either side of her. They shimmered in the rain and fired a dozen ice projectiles in different directions before coming down on Pepper like a swarm of angry insects.

Jay shielded her eyes as the projectiles erupted in a brilliant light. A shockwave of freezing air washed over them and nearly threw the truck they were hiding behind upside down.

For an explosion larger than anything she'd ever seen, it was dead silent. No shouts or the popping of gunfire. No whistling of blades or cracks of thunder. She heard nothing at all.

It took a moment for Jay to realize it wasn't quiet. It was deafening.

The ringing in her ears was almost worse when it came. It rattled her teeth and sent a spike of pain drilling into her skull. Seconds passed, feeling like an eternity, until it died down and Jay heard something else that filled her with relief.

The whine of a Bullhead's engine.

The ship roared as it glided above them, several tons of steel settling itself on the grassy plain a few dozen feet away. The side hatches slid open and inside was the pilot, waving his arm out at them in a hurried fashion.

Their escape had arrived and the Huntresses weren't the only ones to realize it.

Gris went on the offensive. He swung his sword to beat the others back while using every ounce of Dust energy he had to keep it that way. He sent waves of ice in all directions and spit flames from the tip of his blade, trying to even the odds after being horribly outnumbered.

Pepper was lying on the ground, motionless. As petty as it was, Jay didn't resist the small, smug smile that grew on her face.

"Let's go, Sprig. We're going home," she said, sliding her friends arm over her shoulder and half-dragging her to the Bullhead.

"C'mon, c'mon, get a move on. We can't waste any time here," the pilot said as they came close. With his help, they both pulled Spriggan onboard and sat her down in the passenger seats at the rear of the cabin.

Once she was safe, Jay turned around and stuck her head outside, shouting over the booming thunder, "Jetbead, fall back!"

On her order, Ritch and Tephra broke off from Team RWBY, shooting dust and crossbow bolts as they walked backwards towards her.

At the same time, the girl with the red cloak, who Jay guessed was the leader of the other team, shouted her own commands over the shots of her sniper-scythe, "Time to go, guys!"

The pilot hurried back into the Bullhead's cockpit as the rest of the Team RWBY climbed inside. With a few flipped switches the thrusters spurred to life, howling like the wind that whipped at Jay's hair.

She watched the ground slowly shrink away. The Bullhead climbed into the air, rocking and rolling as it fought the wind currents of the unrelenting storm. Jay had to grab one of the overhead handles to keep herself steady.

The facility grew smaller. The place she had been stuck for who knows how long was falling from her sight.

The place where Pine was currently fighting for his life.

"Hey, pilot! How long can we stay here?" she asked.

"Not at all. Pine made it very clear that we take off by then no matter what."

"We're staying," Jay said. The pilot threw her an incredulous look, "We aren't leaving until we see Pine come out of that building."

"Ain't your call, lady. He wanted to get you kids out of here no matter what. That's what I gotta do. The second Bullhead will come get him, alright?"

"No wai-" Jay turned to try and looked out the open hatch again, but the door slid shut right in front of her face, cutting her off from even seeing the torrential rain battering against the Bullhead's hull. She pressed her hands against the hatch, the engines whirring to life, pushing everyone in the cabin back as the ship accelerated towards Beacon.

Jay shut her eyes. A weight pressed itself down on her shoulders and it took everything she had not to pry the doors open and jump out.

She never considered herself a religious person, but as the Bullhead ascended further up into the clouds, she found herself praying to every god she could think of that Pine would be okay.

She couldn't do anything in Rue Village. But right now, praying was the best she could do.

…

Pine carefully watched as two Macabre circled around him, forcing him backwards as he dodged a series of swipes from the axe wielding Macabre, which left him open to an attack from the spear wielder who had circled around to his exposed flank.

The spear user thrusted his weapon forward and caught Pine in his thigh. Pine stumbled from the blow, granting the axe user the chance to slam his boot into Pine's chest driving him backwards into one of the gurneys. The second Macabre twirled his spear mockingly with a smug grin on his face.

These men were different than the ones he had fought before. They weren't like the ordinary people that made up the bulk of the Macabre's numbers or the out of practice former Huntsmen that had guarded the way to the basement. These were skilled members. True Huntsmen.

"You think you were the only ones recruiting?" Ember said as if she could read his thoughts. She was standing near the double doors she had entered the room through, perfectly content to watch Pine fight off all the men she brought with her, "A lot of people had a problem with what the Huntsmen were doing, did you know that? When they're given practically free reign to do what they want, they're going to take advantage of it."

"You think I don't know that? I've lived long enough to see everything wrong the Huntsmen did," Pine struggled to regain his footing. Every part of his body burned under the heavy use of his Aura. He was strong, but he wasn't a machine. There was only so much punishment he could take, "But your answer to violence and murder is more of the same."

The two Macabre lunged towards him. Pine rolled backwards over the surgical table and blasted another shockwave of Aura as he righted himself. The force catapulted the table into the two men like a freight train.

Pine didn't have time to rest. Another Macabre descended upon him with a great hammer and struck him across the side. He let his body spin in a circle from the glancing blow and lashed out with his mace, striking his attacker in the jaw. The Macabre's Aura flared in a bright light from the attack and he was stunned long enough for Pine to hit him in his knee then in his face as he tumbled over.

But the spear user wasn't done. His weapon folded in on itself and a gun barrell poked out from the shaft, firing oversized caliber bullets that could kill a Goliath. Pine dove behind a pillar. Each impact felt like a freight train, tearing chips of plaster and painted concrete with each shot.

Pine made his move when there was a break in the fire. He hopped over another operating table and dropped into a slide as he placed a hand on the floor.

Aura seeped out of his hand, then the ground shook. Not enough to stumble anyone but enough to throw off the aim of the spear user who fired a shot a few inches shy of Pine's head.

Pine slid up to his feet, bent his knees, and jumped forward, thrusting the head of his mace directly into the shooter's stomach. He swung his mace up, crashing into the man's chin, then swung it back down on his head. A low groan slipped out from the man and he collapsed to the ground.

"I truly thought that out of everyone, you'd listen to what I had to say, Ember," Pine said as he turned his attention to her, breathing heavily.

"I might have listened. But not anymore. I can't ignore who's side you're on. If you can't protect this city, then I will. Those people, everyone in Vale, they don't deserve any of this. They need people who look out for them," Ember said. Pine slowly advanced on her, grasping his mace in both hands and giving it a forceful tug as the inner latches of his weapon were disengaged in a burst of sparks, extending the length of his weapon to its staff form.

"For once I agree with you," Pine said, holding his weapon out in front of him, its entire body glowing green, emanating faint wisps of smoke as several small balls of light coalesced around him, "If it even matters to you anymore, I'm proud of you." He said, his gaze unwavering, "You want to protect people. Never stray from that."

The orbs of light grew in size and intensity as Pine released his Semblance. The orbs exploded outwards like missiles, soaring towards Hecate like heat-seeking missiles. She moved by pure reflex and maneuvered through the barrage, jumping over tables and pushing aside IV stands as the orbs of Aura exploded behind her.

The barrage was relentless. More orbs formed and fired, chasing Ember down as she pumped her legs trying to outrun every single one. Then Pine made his move. As his orbs kept her moving, he circled around the room, smacking a Macabre trying to get up in the head as he passed. Ember was too focused on evading his Semblance to notice him running straight towards her. Or so he thought.

Pine swung his mace as hard as he could, missing Ember completely when she dropped low and slid underneath his swing, lashing out a sword to strike him in his ankles.

He stumbled, but quickly recovered. Ember got up to her feet and held her swords at the ready, one out in front of her and the other over her head, the tip pointing downward at its sister blade.

It was an easily recognizable stance. She was poised to counter strikes from almost any angle. She knew as well as he did that she couldn't beat him in a straight fight.

"When you meet the Macabre Council, whatever you end up telling them, they're going to get bolder. Forcing Violet out of hiding, both sides are going to start making their moves," Pine said as they closed in on each other, one step at a time until they came almost within an arm's reach of each other.

"No they won't. The Huntsmen are too bogged down with Vale's government to do anything. You think Ozpin is going to enact a war when he's got the entire world watching him?" Ember replied.

They both knew it. The Vytal Festival was drawing closer. Everyone in Remnant had their eyes pointed towards Vale and if anything happened during the festival, if anyone got hurt because of an attack that Beacon's headmaster authorized, the Huntsmen would suffer severe consequences. The entire world would want Ozpin's head.

Pine swung a flurry of swipes, his mace flying in every direction to wear down Ember's defense. Each swipe was met with a blade swatting it aside or deflecting it just inches away from her body.

"He's not the only one. There are other Huntsmen, the ones who aren't bound by a Kingdom. The ones who operate independently. No matter what, there will always be someone who opposes you like Team Jetbead," Pine retreated, holding his mace out in front of him. Ember kept her distance, her stance flawless even as her breathing turned heavy.

"They're idiots if they think they can even make a dent in the Macabre. Their leader is too nosy for her own good. All she's going to accomplish is getting the rest of her team killed. And I'll be there when it happens," Ember's voice rose as she shouted at him. He could hear the hate bleeding into every word, a very real and justified hate that had festered and grown over the course of years.

Pine kept himself steady, responding in a measured, calm tone, "You can get the revenge you want, you can kill every single member of Team Jetbead, maybe even every Huntsman, but it's never going to bring Rue Village back."

Ember snarled at him. She launched at him with wild abandon, swords poised to skewer him in the stomach. Pine waited until the last possible moment and held his arms up like he was preparing to block. His body thrummed with the energy of his soul. His Aura formed a layer over his skin, like thin ice over water, and exploded.

Ember was tossed across the room, her back slamming into one of the steel cages. A pained groan escaped her lips and she fell to the ground and hit her face on the tiled floor.

Pine slowly walked towards her, mace held out and ready in case she still had some fight left in her. But all he got was her labored breathing and her futilely trying to grab her swords a few feet away.

"I'm not going to kill you, Ember. You deserve better than that. I know you're hurting more than I can imagine, and I can't say that I know what you're going through," he said. Ember stopped and looked up at him, one eye welded shut as a stream of blood trickled down from her forehead, "But you can't undo the past, no matter how badly you want to. When all's said and done, when you exact your revenge, you're going to be as empty as you were before. Maybe even more. "

Ember's face was stoic, her breath flaring out from her nostrils. Her hands balled into tight fists, trying to force her body upwards until they buckled and gave out under her. Pine turned his back, walking towards the open elevator without a look back.

"She doesn't deserve what she has. She's going to be just as much of a murderer as her mother," Ember growled. Pine stopped a step short of entering the elevator, staring at its blank beige walls. Ember collapsed to the ground until her forehead pressed against the floor, her orange hair falling from her shoulders, "I swear it. Before long, she'll be worse than me. And then what? Would you want me to spare her then?"

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, "What can I do, Pine? What am I supposed to do?"

He didn't say a word. Not when he took that final step. Not when he entered the elevator and the door shut behind him. Not as it ascended to the ground floor.

He left Ember alone with her own question. She had to find the answer herself.

Pine hoped she'd find it soon. Before it was too late.


	20. Fire in the Night

**Well will you look at that! This one didn't take almost two months to write. We're making progress! Also, I just wanna say thank you guys so much for the support you've shown. Makes my day to see you guys enjoying this and giving me what feedback you can. We're only gonna go higher from here. So in the meantime, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 20: Fire in the Night

Conifer Pine had lived on Remnant for sixty six years. During that time he worked one job after another to support his family, his two sisters and brother chipping in a few Lien themselves when they could. For Pine, work was first. '_If you aren't working, you aren't helping'_ was what his father said. '_If you aren't helping, you're not worth the air you're breathing.'_

He never went to school, he never kept many hobbies. It never interested him. There was always something else to do. More work to be done.

Then a hole was blasted in Vale's wall and Grimm ran rampant in the streets. Nobody was hurt, thankfully. But Pine saw first hand what happened. Legions of Huntsmen descended on the horde of Grimm, cutting them down by the hundreds without breaking a sweat. The city was saved, people cheered, and Pine found the best way to help.

He signed up for Huntsmen training a week later.

Now he was standing in Ozpin's office. His mace on the headmaster's desk and several weapons pointed at his front and back.

Ozpin was sitting in his chair, fingers tented and his brow furrowed in disapproval. To his right, Glynda kept a firm grasp on her riding crop. The air around her sizzled with barely restrained power. The meaning wasn't lost on Pine.

_Make a single move and you won't live long enough to regret it._

"How long?" Ozpin asked him.

"A decade." he answered. He didn't move a muscle, didn't dare twitch his fingers. Every professor surrounding him would jump at the slightest indication he would.

Ozpin shut his eyes and sighed, "When I found out I had hoped that we were wrong. I still do. So please tell me something that will convince me where your true loyalties lie,"

Pine swallowed the lump in his throat. Things had gotten worse after he saved Team Jetbead. In the morning, after tending to his injuries and getting a few hours of sleep, he went to his office to find Ozpin waiting for him along with several of Beacon's professors.

He immediately knew why. They knew he was a traitor.

The fact that they hadn't killed or imprisoned him yet meant he still had a chance at convincing them that wasn't the case anymore.

"There's nothing to say. It's all true. I was a member of the Macabre, and more than that, I was one of the members of their ruling council," he said.

Tense whispers permeated the room. Pine didn't risk a look back to see for himself, but he could feel the glares burning a hole in the back of his head.

"'Was', you say? What changed?" Ozpin asked, holding his hand up to silence the others in the room.

"They lost sight of what brought them together in the first 're more concerned with revenge than for the good of Remnant these days. And the people in charge pushed that dogma until every member of the Macabre started calling for blood," Pine said, "That being said, I am not advocating that they're in the wrong. Only that they've strayed from what they used to be."

"You sought to change that, then?" Ozpin asked.

"I wanted to end this fight. Look around you. How long are we going to let this drag on? Everything is hanging by a thread. Every one of us can see that. We got too comfortable and someone is fixing to change that," Pine said. He crossed his arms and spoke clearly enough for all of them to hear, "Violet Royal is on her way here. The second she arrives in Vale, this war is going to start all over again."

A few more murmurs spread in the room. Violet Royal was a name they all knew well. A brilliant and charismatic Huntress who devoted herself to the scientific advancement of the Huntsmen rather than slaying Grimm. The Macabre had made several attempts on her life before, forcing her to move from kingdom to kingdom, never staying put for too long.

The Macabre knew where she was, technically. The problem was they didn't know _where_ that place was.

She commanded a fleet of massive airships, filled with laboratories and factories that researched and developed whatever inventions she created. They were also all staffed by Huntsmen. Even if the Macabre could track her down, they would have a difficult time trying to kill her.

But now they knew where she would go. They had time to create a plan. If they succeeded in killing her, the chain reaction would set the embers of the war back to an uncontrollable blaze.

"The Macabre have certainly grown bolder these past few months," Ozpin said while rubbing his chin.

"They've gotten stronger as well. They aren't the same small faction you pushed out of northern Sanus. There's more of them now, some aren't even Huntsmen, just someone who has a grudge against us or mercenaries on a payroll," Pine said. He took a step closer, keeping his hands at his sides to show he still meant no harm, "As much as I want this to end without violence, that might not happen. At the very least, I want to end this with as little bloodshed as possible."

"As do I. It's saddening to see the Huntsmen divided durings times like this. Despite our history, we owe it to them, and others who have lost faith in us, to right our wrongs," Ozpin said.

Pine nodded, pursing his lips slightly as he began wringing his hands, "Unfortunately, none of that will be possible with the Macabre council in charge. So allow me to make a proposition," he crossed his arms, "I will tell you the location of the council. But in return I want you to promise me that they won't be harmed when you bring them in. Give them a proper trial. Show the other Huntsmen that you're the bigger person in this fight."

"Conifer, that is exactly what I wanted to accomplish all those years ago. However, we can't rush in without caution. I've no doubt that the council knows you carry this information. An ambush is almost guaranteed," Ozpin said. A few of the other professors nodded along with him. It was practically inevitable. Pine had no doubt word of his betrayal had reached them and they were making plans to deal with him. Ozpin slowly shut his eyes, released a slow, almost imperceptible sigh, "But there's still the matter of what to do with you."

"I've proven I'm on your side, haven't I? Surely that's enough," Pine said.

"You've been affiliated with the Macabre for ten years. In that time, you've done much for this academy, but also for our enemies," Ozpin fixed him with the same steady gaze he gave when delivering orders as a Headmaster rather than a colleague, "The things that have happened to this academy since the beginning of the semester: The trespassing during Initiation, the attack on the security wing, Team Jetbead's disappearance...you were at the very least aware of all of it, if not directly involved, weren't you?"

Pine adjusted his collar. For the first time in a long while, he hesitated. He wouldn't make excuses for himself, but there was no telling what Ozpin would do to him if he told the truth.

"Yes. I was," he finally answered. Ozpin didn't relent.

"Were you aware or were you involved?" he asked again.

"Both."

Glynda's hold on her riding crop tightened until her knuckles turned white. The silence was more oppressive than a ten ton weight crushing Pine's chest. It took everything he had to stare Ozpin in the eye.

Ozpin stayed silent for an uncomfortably long time. He tented his fingers together and peered over the rims of his dark glasses. With each second that passed, Pine grew increasingly more anxious.

"My number one priority as Headmaster of this academy is to ensure the safety of our students as they learn and grow to be individuals. Whatever reasons you had for aiding the Macabre, they do not justify you putting that very safety in jeopardy," Ozpin said. He stood up from his chair, taking his cane with him as he circled around his desk, "Furthermore, you betrayed the trust of your fellow professors. Betrayed my trust. Something like that is hard to forgive."

Ozpin stopped in front of him, "But I do."

The tense silence was replaced with utter shock. Pine's mouth slightly hung open as Ozpin's words repeated themselves in his head, "Pardon me?"

"It would be easy to throw the blame on you and make you pay for everything you've done. But more often than not, the easy decision is not the correct one. The easy decision was what led to the creation of the Macabre in the first place," Ozpin said while reaching up to placed a hand on Pine's arm, "There is one thing I can say without a doubt. It's that you truly desire an end to this fighting."

"Ozpin, with all due respect, not only is he one of them, he's one of their leaders. He could have been funneling important information for them for years. Whenever a Huntsmen patrol went missing or a village got hit, how do we know that it wasn't because of him?" Professor Peach exclaimed from the back of the room, "For all we know, he could have ordered every single attack against us in the past ten years."

"Hardly," Pine interjected, gathering enough of his wits to turn and face her, "Even if I was a leader, I sure wasn't treated like one. They only wanted me close by because they knew I had the connections they didn't. Every time I suggested a more peaceful resolution I was shot down and ignored. I would have been disposed of a long time ago if I hadn't proven my usefulness to them."

"So they used you?" Peach said.

"And now I'm using them," Pine turned back to face Ozpin, "I know enough to severely hurt them. Names, locations, things like that. Capturing the council would deal a crippling blow but it won't be enough to get rid of them permanently."

"It seems there is much we need to go over," Ozpin said, averting his eyes to the side as he stroked his chin, "We'll continue this discussion tomorrow. The semester is coming to a close and there are other things that require my attention."

Pine noticed Ozpin's subtle glance at the window. He knew what he was talking about. The Vytal Festival was drawing closer. Other kingdoms would soon arrive with their students to participate in the most televised tournament in the world. It was the perfect time to make a move. Or make a statement.

_I hope it'll be us that does it,_ Pine thought.

"Conifer, would you stay for a moment?" Ozpin asked. It took a second for Pine to realize the other professors were beginning to leave. Only Glynda remained, standing where she always had been and thankfully with her riding crop put away.

Ozpin didn't wait for him to respond as he settled himself back in his chair, "When two Bullheads suddenly went missing from the academy, I had my suspicions that something was going on in my school without my knowledge. Both of the pilots had been very forthcoming about the details of your rescue."

_Ah, so that's how he found out…_

"I'm afraid I didn't have a lot of time or options. I went with what was fastest. Even if it did end up exposing me in the end," Pine said as he approached Ozpin's desk. He looked over his shoulder at the elevator door the other professors exited through, "I don't think I'm going to be as popular with the others as I was before. Frankly, I still think you forgave me a little too easily."

"Conifer, I forgave you because I believe in second chances. People make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes last years. But the wonderful thing is that it only takes a moment to realize that and change for the better. You've done exactly that," Ozpin said, taking Pine's mace and holding it out to him, "You enlisted the help of Ruby Rose's team, didn't you?" he asked. Pine took his weapon back and nodded.

"It was dangerous I know. If there had been any other way I would have considered it. But I have to admit, they held their own," Pine said. To his surprise, Ozpin didn't chastise him for putting another team in danger.

"They're truly exceptional. Of that I have no doubt. It's reassuring to see how far they've come since the beginning of the year," Ozpin said more to himself than Pine. Taking up a scroll in his hand, he dragged a finger along the screen for a moment then adding, "I firmly believe they will be a shining example to everyone in the near future."

"You seem to care for them quite a bit," Pine noted. Ozpin looked up from his scroll with a slight smile.

"You do the same with Team Jetbead, do you not?"

"Fair enough," Pine relented with a smile of his own. It quickly disappeared when he realized Ozpin probably didn't tell him to stay just to chat about the teams they were fond of, "So what did you need? Was there something you wanted to ask me that you didn't want the others to hear?"

"What I wanted to ask you actually concerns Team Jetbead," Ozpin said as he laid his scroll down, "Do they know about you?"

Pine flinched at the question. It was a question he had asked himself on the entire ride back to Beacon. Despite coming in close contact with them both as a professor as a Macabre agent, they still had no idea about his involvement. Telling Team Jetbead the truth was entirely different than telling Ozpin. He had caused them so much pain, so much grief, that he wasn't sure they'd ever forgive him.

"No, I haven't told them," he said. Ozpin tilted his head to the side.

"Do you plan to?"

He was a traitor. He could admit that to himself. But did Team Jetbead have to know? Somehow, they managed to become a thorn in the Macabre's side. They made themselves into a threat, catching the attention of almost every Macabre member in Vale. That didn't happen unless they put themselves in one life threatening situation after another. What would they do if they found out that all their efforts were stifled by the very professor who saved them?

"No," The word was out of his mouth before he realized had he said it. Ozpin watched him for a moment longer but didn't say anything about his decision. It was always difficult to tell what the headmaster was thinking. Even after working with him for so long, he was still an enigma. But Pine trusted his gut. Ozpin was a wise man who was devoted to the students in his academy. Pine's gaze fell as he excused himself, "If that is all then I should go. Finals are starting and I still have an exam to write. It'd be irresponsible of me to deprive my students of that," he said.

Ozpin let him go. As he entered the elevator and descended back down to the academy, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of his mind. He should have felt relieved. Ecstatic, even. With the information he knew, a war spanning over the course of years was going to come to a close.

But that was the problem. Things didn't just end. They kept going, lingering in some new form, a constant stream of cause and effect. What would happen once the Huntsmen came down on the council's hiding place?

He didn't know. That's what made him nervous.

The soft chime of the elevator snapped him back to reality and he walked through Beacon's halls, almost empty save for a few students still talking to each other after being dismissed from their classes.

For now, Pine cleared his mind, shifting his focus from the looming danger of the Macabre to the mundane task of thinking up questions for his final exam.

…

"I'm pretty sure that's not how Mantle was replaced," Spriggan said without looking up from her textbook.

"It has to be right? Atlas had that coup attempt and then they traced it back to Mantle and they were hit with economical sanctions and had their kingdom taken," Jay asked as she ran a finger along the brim of her cup of soda.

"No, there was no coup attempt. You're thinking of the Radical Era. That came after," Spriggan replied. Jay's finger froze as she turned to her left to face her friend.

"Wait, seriously? Aww, I got that question wrong then," Jay whined, dropping her head onto the picnic table they were sitting in, "Jeez, I didn't plan on feeling sorry for myself tonight, but boy I'm getting there."

Spriggan closed her textbook with a solid _clap_ and set it aside, preferring to watch the dozens of students enjoying themselves in Vale's Vytal Pre-festival.

Exams had ended yesterday. Their first semester at Beacon was over and Jay came through on the promise she made back when they planned their trek to Mountain Glenn. Now they were enjoying the evening at Vale's central park, indulging in the finest fair foods and games the Pre-Festival had to offer.

After trying out a few booths and winning a stuffed penguin that now sat proudly next to Jay, night had fallen and the two of them sat underneath one of the gazebos scattered through the fair grounds. An elegant array of lights were woven in complex patterns above them, casting a warm glow over the tables. All around them were other students from Beacon, their soft laughter blending together in a way that eased Jay's mind.

It was a good feeling. She had been surrounded by fighting for weeks. Taking a moment to just sit down and remember what it felt like to have a normal student life was soothing.

"Have another funnel cake, Jay. It'll cheer you right up," Spriggan said.

"And burn another eighteen Lien? Noooo thanks. I can get three funnel cakes at the bakery near the docks for half that price," Jay said as she sat back up.

"...Can you?"

"I don't know. I'm just making a point. Fair food is expensive," she said. Spriggan cocked an eyebrow.

"Says the girl who spent half of her savings on Atlesian chocolate."

"Hey, I'd sell my soul for that if I could," Jay replied.

"If you could? Did you do it already?" Spriggan asked. Jay did a double take and leaned back.

"Woah, I didn't realize Tephra suddenly became my partner," Jay said. Spriggan lightly laughed and shook her head.

"Not quite. If I were I would be saying things like 'Oh Chief, if you buy another funnel cake, you're going to get jealous of how skinny your wallet is'," she said, shutting her eyes and mocking Tephra's voice before breaking into another fit of laughter.

"Did you just call me fat AND poor?" Jay said with a stiff upper lip. She wrapped an arm around Spriggan and buried her face in her shoulder, "I think I might cry."

"Just stuff your face with your chocolate. You'll be fine," Spriggan replied. Jay rolled her eyes, then noticed a familiar person walking aimlessly down the line of booths. She stood up and waved at Professor Pine.

"Yoohoo, Professor!" she said loud enough for him to hear. Pine looked up from a display of small wooden figurines. He strode over to them, lifting a hand in greeting.

"Ah, I shouldn't be surprised that you're both here. I feel like half of the academy just decided to come down here all at once," he said with a grin.

"Can you blame us? We just went through several exams. A chance to kick back and let off some steam is what everyone needs, including the professors," Jay said as she sat back down. Next to her, Spriggan leaned forward and rested her arms on the table.

"Have you been doing alright, professor? You looked very pained when you came back from the facility you rescued us from," she said. Jay suppressed the urge to grimace, masking it with a half-hearted attempt to clear her throat. The second her team touched down at Beacon, she had been pacing in their room for what felt like hours, just waiting for Pine to come back. When he did, the relief was enough to make her laugh in joy. He was wounded and oddly quiet, but he was alive. That was enough for her.

Pine laughed at the question, "I may be old but I'm not fragile. Not too long ago, I was mauled by an Alpha Beowolf expanding its pack's territory east of Vale. Before that, it was an Ursa Major. It comes with the job," he smiled. He rolled up the sleeve of his dress shirt, showing them the mess of scars that marred his skin and criss-crossed over each other, "These are my trophies after being a Huntsman for over fifty years. I bet I'll get a lot more before I'm done."

"Let's not get too carried away though, okay? You just came back from one suicide mission. Try not to make it a habit," Jay joked.

"A little too late for that one. I've been on so many suicide missions that the first word sort of became moot" Pine replied. He looked around the area and furrowed his brow, "Where's the other half of your team? Still enjoying the festival?"

"Well one of us is."

All three turned to see Ritch walking towards them with his hands in his pockets. Tephra was right behind him, her cheeks a soft rosy color. Every step she took looked unbalanced, like she'd topple over under the slightest breeze. Jay raised a brow. It wasn't until she saw the brown bottle in her hand and smelled the powerful odor on her breath, did she realize what Tephra was doing.

"Is she drinking alcohol?" she demanded. Ritch opened his mouth to speak, but Tephra smacked him hard on the shoulder.

"Damn, Golden Boy. I thought I was the only blind one, huh?" she smirked. She swayed in one direction, then jerked the opposite way. It was hard to tell how much was left in the bottle. But Tephra wasn't one to take dainty sips as she wrapped her lips around the mouth of the bottle and took a long gulp.

"Ritch, where did she get that?" Jay asked. Ritch slumped over with a look of shame on his face.

"One of the booths at the edge of the fair was selling alcohol. Tephra stole a bottle when no one was looking. I didn't even know she had it until she started stumbling around like this," he said. Jay sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"She only had one bottle and she's already like this?" she asked.

_Lightweight..._she thought to herself. Tephra waved her off as she approached the table.

"Hold on, hold on, I'mma be serious for a sec," she took a deep breath, standing up straight and saying every word slowly and clearly, "Chief, after thinking over everything this past semester, I've come to a concu...conclusion. You're a damn fine person. And I 'unno if you know, but to us Faunus, it is customary to give the last drink to the person you respect the most. That we'd sacrifice what we have left...for you."

Tephra held the bottle of booze out to her, "Chief, this bottle goes to the person I respect the most."

Jay looked at her, then at the bottle. She reached out to grab it and Tephra yanked it away at the last second and finished it in one gulp.

"Well, I guess we know where her true loyalties lie," Pine said with a smirk.

"And hello to you too, Professor. Good to see you're still breathin'," Tephra replied as she sat down next to him, with Ritch settling himself on her other side.

"Same. The exam you gave us was pretty challenging but I think I did alright," Ritch said.

"Ugh, let's not talk about exams. It's going to put a damper on my mood," Jay insisted as she turned to Pine, "I know we got kidnapped by the Macabre and everything, but can we still get that extra credit you promised us?"

"After what you've all been through, you don't even need to ask. Hell, you deserve a lot more than that," Pine replied. A wide grin grew on Jay's face.

"Ah, anything?"

"Within reason."

"How about a bigger dorm room?" she asked.

"I second that!" Tephra quickly added.

"More space is always a welcome thing," Spriggan said.

"If we're doing that, can we get a second bathroom too? Jay takes a long time in there in the morning and I hate being late to class," Ritch said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I have to share a room with three girls. I know Tephra is blind and everything but having to change in front of her is a little awkward," he said before taking a sip from the can of soda he had with him.

"Would it make you feel better if I stuffed a twenty in your pants?" Tephra asked. Ritch violently coughed as his drink went down the wrong way. He pounded a fist against his chest and took deep breaths between his bouts of choking.

"Aww, lighten up, Ritch. You know how many guys would kill to live in a dorm with three girls?" Jay asked.

"I-It's not as fun as they make it out to be," Ritch sputtered. Jay laughed and to her surprise, so did Pine.

"I have to say, it's been quite a while since I've been able to relax like this," he said. Jay clapped her hands together, drawing the attention of everyone else on the table.

"Then let's make one to remember," she raised her cup out to the others, and watched the faces of her team. Her friends. The people she would trust to have her back no matter what, "Let's have a toast to Pine and Team Jetbead. We are...the most tenacious, stubborn, and downright annoying enemies you could ever dread to have. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

One by one, the others raised their drink to meet hers. Jay's proud smile grew even wider, "Here's to Team Jetbead. The fire in the night!"

The others around her shouted their team name in triumph and for the first time in a long while, she felt at peace. For too long, she had been tense, waiting and worrying about when the next attack would come. But for tonight, surrounded by friends and good company, she gave herself a chance to breathe. To know what it felt like to spend a night without a care in the world.

She was happy. That was the most she could hope for.

…

Ember Sol watched them from afar, under the dark canopy of trees that circled the fair grounds. She studied each of them, watching the happiness of their faces until her eyes landed on Pine and she unconsciously reached up to touch the wound on her forehead.

She hadn't forgotten what he told her. It was as clear in her mind as the day he said. Every time she remembered, something twisted in her chest. It was like the tip of a knife, pressing at the skin on the brink of tearing it.

_You can't undo the past, no matter how badly you want to. When all's said and done, when you exact your revenge, you're going to be as empty as you were before. Maybe even more._

Ember clenched her jaw. A peculiar mix of anger and uncertainty bubbling inside her. She was furious, but she couldn't say at who. Was it at Pine, for what he said to her? Or Team Jetbead for escaping her yet again? Or was it at herself or a combination of the three?

A stiff gust of wind washed over her and she shivered, cupping her hands together and breathing into them to keep herself warm. Team Jetbead shivered as well and shuffled closer together to keep warm.

She watched them for a moment longer then shook her head. She didn't feel like starting a fight today.

Ember turned her back on them and retreated into the dark.


End file.
